


Prey

by RandiGirl17



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-28
Updated: 2014-07-05
Packaged: 2018-02-06 13:04:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 45,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1859037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RandiGirl17/pseuds/RandiGirl17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is no Institute, and Shadowhunters are rogues, always working alone. Something or someone has been killing Shadowhunters one by one. Enter Jace and Alec. Will they be able to work together to find the murderer, or will they kill each other in the process?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Silence

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, readers! This is another one of my deleted works from FanFiction.com. Please excuse any mistakes you may stumble across. Also, please enjoy it and feel free to leave a comment!

Rain pattered noisily against the cafe window, joining the incessant chatter, tinkering of plates and silverware, and clicking of nails against laptop keyboards in a storm cloud of clamour. I sipped my coffee and continued to scan the newspaper, undisturbed by the racket. The din was strangely comforting. The constant blaring of traffic, clacking of shoes against the sidewalk and pulsing of hypnotic music was as familiar to me as the steady beat of my heart. Silence was my undoing; it screamed louder than the combined hubbub of New York in its entirety.

I peeked over the top of the newspaper as a girl sitting at the bar giggled too loudly. Her cheeks were flushed as she flirted with the boy sitting next to her. The two couldn't have been any more opposite. She had college student plastered all over her: light brown hair pulled into a messy braid, black rimmed glasses, clad in a body-hugging gray sweater and baggy black sweatpants with a bulging book bag resting in her lap. He wore a black leather jacket zipped all the way to his throat and a pair of frayed jeans. His hair was decent enough; black in color and, despite the slightly longer length, expertly styled into a faux hawk. I found myself rather distracted by the piercing in his eyebrow and the thin streak of black lining both of his shockingly blue eyes.

The boy tilted his head as he talked with her. He flashed a brilliant smile as he reached his fingertips forward and rested them over hers. The blush in the girl's cheeks deepened as she reached into her book bag for a pen and a piece of paper. She scribbled something onto it -- her number no doubt -- and passed the paper to the boy, eyes twinkling. He folded it and tucked it into his pocket, flaunting his million watt smile all the while.

I began to fold the newspaper and reached for my coffee cup. I had seated myself against the wall at the far end of the cafe, giving myself an optimum vantage point. My eyes scanned the shop again and peered through the window, noting every passerby. The dagger hidden in my boot burned against my skin, anticipation creeping up my leg.

A small bell chimed and another boy stepped into the cafe. His clothes were sodden and his blonde hair was plastered to his head. He spotted the boy in black at the bar and approached him as one might approach an old acquaintance.

I took another swig of my coffee. _Well, this just got interesting_.

The boy in black gently touched the girl on her arm as he bid her farewell and got up from his seat. He opened the door for the blonde to pass through, then followed him out into the rain. I chugged another swallow of my drink and left the half-empty cup on the table with the newspaper. Exiting the cafe, I spotted the two farther up the street and, pulling my hood over my head, began to follow them. I hung back and put a few members of the crowd between us as we came to a crosswalk. The two did not converse as they waited for the crossing sign, but I noticed the nervous twitching of the blonde's fingers.

I pursued them across the street and up three more blocks before they took a turn into an alleyway. After giving them a bit of a head start, I peered around the corner in time to see them disappear around another bed. My feet carried me cautiously but swiftly, my footsteps whispers against the ground. As I approached the corner, I pressed my back against the wet bricks and glanced over my shoulder.

The rain clouds had darkened the sky, but I could still make out the boys in the distance, now facing each other in what looked like a heated argument. The blonde had his hand extended, palm up, but the black haired boy was shaking his head. When the blonde grabbed him by the front of his jacket, the boy in black roughly shoved him back, breaking contact. As the blonde regained his balance, a rippling motion spread across his exposed skin. He hissed something, but the dark haired boy only smiled tauntingly, seeming oblivious to his friend's changing physical appearance. Swifter than a flash of lightning, the blonde grabbed the dark haired boy's arm and hurled him farther down the alley. He ricocheted off a brick wall and landed near a fence made of tall rickety boards, unmoving.

Slipping my dagger out of my boot, I started towards the blonde at a brisk walk.

"Hey, ugly!"

The blonde turned from the dark haired boy to me. His eyes narrowed as I approached, but he made no move to flee. Another ripple passed over his skin as he clenched his hands into fists.

"What's the matter?" I asked. "Don't like to play nice with others?"

"Nephilim," the blonde spat.

I pulled back my hood and grinned. "In all my glory."

The blonde's skin began to lighten to a sickly gray color. As his two brown eyes faded, a cluster of black eyes appeared. His nose receded into his skull until only two nostril slits remained. His mouth stretched into a gaping hole, revealing rows upon rows of serrated teeth. The roar he sent at me sounded like a thousand clocks ticking at once. Not at all frightening, but eerie.

I charged at him, swinging my dagger at his chest, but he ducked out of the way and swept my leg out from under me. I curled into a ball and rolled forward as my body hit the ground, jumping back to my feet and whipping around to face him. His shoulder slammed into my stomach as he tackled me back to the ground. My dagger flew out of my hand and landed with a clang out of my reach. I tucked my legs in and pushed them out hard, my feet pushing the demon off of me. Rolling onto my stomach, I tried to crawl over to my dagger, but the demon snatched my ankle and dragged me towards him. Wrenching my foot out of his grasp, I kicked him in the side of the head, but that only pissed him off. Grabbing my ankle again, he lifted me off the ground and, like cracking a whip, slammed me back down.

Stars swam in front of my eyes as my head cracked against the ground. Before I could recover, the demon threw me against the brick wall and crouched in front of me. I stared down into his salivating mouth. My dagger was still too far away. Blinking away the dizziness, I punched the demon in the side of the head. He teetered slightly but, with the reflexes of a snake, enclosed my wrist in a bone-crushing grip and clamped his mouth over my forearm. I screamed as one hundred serrated teeth sliced through my coat and punctured my skin.

There was a soft grunt and the demon suddenly released my arm. His body gave a jerk before collapsing in on itself. There was a faint hissing noise as thin wisps of smoke spiraled up from the puddle of purple-black ooze left in his place. The black haired boy was now crouched in front of me, my dagger clenched tightly in his hand.

I cradled my heavily bleeding arm against my chest and leaned my head back against the wall, nausea roiling my stomach. I started to say thank you but the words were choked off in my throat when the dark-haired boy pointed the blade at me.

"Why were you following me?" he asked, his voice cold.

"I wasn't following you," I said through clenched teeth. "I was following _him_."

Still aiming the dagger at me, he reached forward and pulled the collar of my coat and t-shirt down, revealing the curve of a rune against my collar bone. He sat back on his heels, his eyes calculating.

"You're a Shadowhunter."

"Really?" I gasped sarcastically. "That never occurred to me."

The corner of the boy's lips quirked up into a crooked smile. His gaze fell down to my injured arm. He stood up and offered me his hand.

"I know someone that can heal that."

I stared up at him. He _had_ saved my life, but he'd been fraternising with a demon just moments before. And he was still holding my dagger. The moment he pulled me up, that dagger could be lodged into my back or chest.

"Or you can just stay here and bleed to death." He looked pointedly at my arm. "I hope it doesn't get infected."

"You think you're going to lure me back to your place? Let me guess, your house is made of candy and someone waiting there wants to eat me?"

"Only after we fatten you up first."

His sense of humor eased some of my suspicions. I took his proffered hand and he hauled me to my feet. I watched his every movement intently, poised on the balls of my feet in case I needed to make a break for it.

The boy shrugged off his leather jacket and handed it to me. I took it from him but held it in my hand and stared at it, confused.

"Sweetheart," I said, "this is only the first date. It's a little early to be leaving your things at my place, don't you think?"

The boy smirked and let out a quiet laugh. "Drape it over your arm. We don't need people freaking out over it."

I wrapped the wet material around my forearm, wincing as the pressure stung my wounds. "How far away is your friend?"

The boy was bent over. He lifted the right leg of his pants and slipped my dagger into his own boot. Relief and anger flooded through me. It was better that he no longer held my weapon in his hand, but I wanted it back. Why did he need it if he was trying to help me?

"Not very far," he replied, straightening.

We walked out of the alley and continued in the direction we'd been going before the confrontation. I had to hurry to keep up with him. Every step agitated the steadily growing throbbing in my head.

Seven blocks later, we finally turned into the entrance of an expensive-looking apartment building. The boy pulled a card out of his pocket and swiped it through a device on a second set of doors. It beeped and he pushed it open, holding the door to let me pass. We walked through the brightly lit lobby and headed for the elevator. Within a second of pushing the button, the doors slid open soundlessly. We stepped inside and the boy pushed the button for the top floor.

"Your friend lives in the penthouse?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Impressed?"

If I hadn't been before, I was when the doors slid open. We were at the end of a long hallway. There was a boarded walkway leading down the middle, but the rest of the floor was made of water. Muted alternating colors rippled under the water's surface and danced across the white walls and ceiling.

"This way."

I followed him across the flat bridge until we rounded the corner. I stopped to admire the living space, awe erasing the pain in my arm. Off to one side was the kitchen, complete with luxury appliances. The stainless steel and granite counter tops glittered under the bright lights, spotless. Beyond the kitchen was a room with one wall entirely made out of glass, overlooking the hustle and bustle of the streets below, the city lights and the rolling rain clouds. In front of the wall-sized window was an enormous flat screen TV, surrounded with speakers and leather furniture.

"Magnus!" The boy banged his fist against a closed door between the living room and the kitchen.

The door opened and a man stepped out. His dark hair was also spiked, and he was dressed in an expensive suit, jacket left open and minus the tie. He had a slim frame, but there were still hints of muscle under his unwrinkled clothing. He removed a pair of black rimmed glasses from his face, drawing my attention to his cat-like eyes, which were outlined with black eyeliner.

"You brought home a friend," Magnus said flatly.

"His arm got mauled by a demon," the boy explained, crossing his arms and leaning against a wall. "I told him you could fix him up."

Magnus was unimpressed. "You brought home a mundane?"

"Nope. He's a Shadowhunter. He kind of saved my life."

"Really?" Magnus's face softened. "Well in that case..."

He approached me with long strides. He began to unwrap the jacket from my arm, muttering an apology when I hissed in pain. He turned my arm over, inspected every bleeding tooth mark. He tossed the jacket back at his friend and beckoned for me to follow him. We wandered down a different hallway until coming to a giant bathroom. Magnus instructed me to hold my arm over the sink.

"So, Shadowhunter," he said casually, still gazing at my arm. "How does one _kind of_ save a life?"

I shrugged. "The demon attacked him, so I attacked the demon, but then the demon attacked me and then he killed it."

Magnus placed his palm over my forearm. Blue sparks rained down onto my skin. They were cool to the touch and instantly my pain began to ebb, including the throbbing in my head. The holes in my arm slowly began to close, only faint white scars remaining. He continued the process around my entire forearm, and when he finished he smiled at me.

"Good as new."

"Thank you." I ran my fingers over the numerous minuscule bumps on my skin.

"Feel free to wash up," Magnus invited. "Just rinse the blood from the sink when you're done."

I turned on the faucet and scrubbed the blood smears from my forearm, sighing as the warm water eased the tense muscles there. I washed the skin a second time using the sandalwood scented soap sitting beside the sink. Afterwards, I rinsed out the sink as Magnus had asked, making sure it was free from any speckles of blood and dried my hands before finding my way back to the kitchen.

Magnus was leaning against one of the couches, peering over the shoulder of his friend who was sitting down with his feet propped up on the coffee table in front of him. He straightened and turned when I appeared.

"So what's your friend's name?" Magnus asked the dark haired boy.

"Beats me."

Magnus's mouth fell open. The dark haired boy cried out when Magnus cuffed him over the back of the head.

"Go introduce yourself, you ninny."

Sighing heavily, the boy got up from the couch and approached me. He held out his hand and plastered a fake smile on his face.

"Hello," he said with forced politeness. "My name is Alexander."

"Jace," I replied, shaking his hand.

"Call me what you like. Alexander works, but so does Alec, Alex or Lex." He tightened his grip on my hand and leaned forward, his eyes deadly. "But you may _not_ call me Al. Ever."

All I could do was nod. Alec headed back towards the couch and with a wave of his arm indicated for me to follow. He plopped back down on the leather and set his feet on the table, crossing his ankles. I sat down beside him, awkwardly looking around and trying not to be bothered by the uncomfortable silence.

"Well, my work here is done," Magnus announced. "I've got work elsewhere. Keep the TV down, Alec."

Alec held up his arm and did a thumbs up. A soft thud signalled the closing of a door, and we were left in silence once again. Alec reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a lighter. Absently, he began flicking the cap off and flipping it shut. He did it over and over, staring into space as the clanging reverberated around us.

"Are you going to give me my dagger back?" I queried.

Alec looked at me, still playing with the lighter, his eyes amused. "What? No token of your gratitude?"

I shrugged. "Fine. I suppose you can use it to start your shrine of me. For the record, I'd prefer it if you ask before cutting off a lock of my hair."

When Alec laughed, I relaxed and slouched back into the couch. I stared at the puddle forming on the coffee table under Alec's boots. He seemed relatively unconcerned about the mess, but I wondered if Magnus would be pissed.

"So how did you come to know a warlock?"

"It's pretty hard not to know Magnus Bane," Alec scoffed. "He's only the most sought after warlock in the city, if not the entire world."

I nodded, not daring to admit I hadn't heard much about him. "Is he a family friend?"

"He's my boyfriend."

I fought to keep my face composed. Alec took notice of my lack of words and looked over at me, unbothered by my evident surprise.

"You look shocked."

"But in the cafe...the girl..." I stammered.

"Not my type," Alec said simply. "She was pretty, and I wanted to make her feel like she was."

"Oh."

A soft ding and the sound of boots thumping over the wooden bridge saved me from any further response. Alec and I glanced over our shoulders to watch for the newcomer. A boy came into view, the same age as Alec and I. He was covered from head to toe in gray ashes and splotches of dark green ichor. He stopped and held up his finger as he noticed Alec and I gaping at him.

"Don't start with me," he warned.

Alec, grinning widely, couldn't seem to resist. "Are those giant boogers?"

The boy rolled his eyes. "They are most certainly not boogers. There was a minor incident involving a demon explosion. I'm fine, thanks for asking."

"Is all that gray stuff the dust that made the demon sneeze his boogers all over you?"

The boy ignored Alec and focused on me. He inclined his head and his dark eyes narrowed. I could feel the distrust seeping from his pores from across the room.

"Who's the blonde?"

"This is Jace," Alec introduced, switching his focus to tossing his lighter into the air and catching it.

The boy crossed the floor and, keeping the back of the couch between us, held out his hand.

"Jace," he said, testing out my name. "I'm JC. Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern. I'm Alec's partner."


	2. Burden

"Alec's partner?" I repeated, taking JC's hand.

"Does that surprise you?" JC's grip tightened.

"Last time I checked," I said, unflinching, "Shadowhunters worked alone. It's hard enough watching your own back, let alone guarding someone else's, too."

Alec snorted and began weaving his lighter in and out of his fingers. "Working solo hasn't exactly done us any favors."

JC finally dropped my hand. "Not unless you have a death wish."

It was true. The number of Shadowhunter casualties had risen drastically over the past few months. Stumbling upon a Nephilim's body had become a daily routine. Even more unnerving was the consistent lack of telltale signs revealing the cause of death. Not one of the bodies displayed stab wounds, strangulation marks, fang marks or any other life threatening injuries. It was if they had simply collapsed to the ground, gone, dead. Still, those of us that remained were not lining up to recruit fellow Shadowhunters into the "buddy system". For all we knew, the murders were an inside job. Trust became a possession, a lifeline, never to be put into another Shadowhunter's hands...until now, it seemed.

"I'm going to have a shower," JC announced. "If Magnus sees me like this he'll have a fit."

"Dress up when you're done. Tonight we're hitting the town."

The only response was the closing of the bathroom door down the hall. I studied Alec in silence as he flicked the lighter and watched the mesmerizing dance of the small flame. The fire licked at his callused fingertips as he passed them over it, his face impassive. Clearly, Alec did not trust strangers easily. He'd been cynical enough to point a dagger at my throat while I was laying on the ground, bleeding. With his strength and fearlessness, he was a natural rogue, only taking orders from himself. And yet, the piercing in his eyebrow, black eyeliner and the desire to rest his dirty footwear on the furniture screamed rebel. He was different, a renegade. Why had he abandoned solitude for a partnership? Was it just to break the mould? To stand out? Or was there something buried deep inside him that convinced him to shuffle the cards? Perhaps an underlying fear of being alone?

"Word to the wise." Alec interrupted my train of thought. "You shouldn't ogle people like that."

"What?"

"It's off-putting." He wrinkled his nose. "And creepy."

"You should take it as a compliment."

"Why's that?" Alec asked, his tone hinting at defensiveness.

"Because," I said, admiring my fingernails, "I'm not usually the one staring; I'm usually the one getting stared _at_."

Alec flicked the cap of his lighter shut, extinguishing the flame and the tension in the room. "You are a nice piece of cougar bait. No doubt about it."

I pressed my hand to my chest, feigning flattery. "Oh, Alexander. You just tickle my insides."

Alec laughed, and my smile mirrored his. He opened his mouth to speak but another voice cut in:

"You know, the conversation is flowing pretty freely for someone who prefers a one man wolf pack."

I swivelled my head around and caught JC back in the kitchen, his hip propped against the counter as he scrubbed at his dripping hair with a towel. Though he'd kept his tone light, the spite dripping behind his words did not slip past my ears. But he did have a point; I'd only met Alec a short time ago, -- under questionable circumstances -- but here I sat, talking and joking with him as if he was my brother, not a complete and potentially dangerous stranger. I'd let my guard slip for a bout of conversation.

_Serves you right if your carcass winds up in a gutter by tomorrow morning_.

"Give him a break, JC," Alec said reproachfully. "He saved my ass today."

"Really?" JC's voice was bored, dubious.

"Yeah. He did." Alec got up from the couch and stretched. "Not that he had to. He could have just kept walking."

"How chivalrous of him."

Alec ignored the blasé comment. "Are you ready to go? I want to get some chow before we start the job."

"What about sunshine over there?" JC flicked his chin out at me.

Alec's striking blue eyes fell on me again, twinkling. "What do you say, loner?"

"What do I say about what?"

"Want to make the duo a trio?"

* * *

 

The nightclub was packed. Bodies writhed and ground against each other to the tantalizing beat of thundering music. The air was humid; a fine mist was visible in the flashes of multicolored strobe lights. The heat and the deafening noise only encouraged the mundanes into dancing harder, spinning faster and pounding back an endless supply of drinks.

I stood off on the side of the club with Alec, arms crossed over my chest, looking -- and feeling -- like a bump on a log. Alec, drink in hand and head bobbing to the music's rhythm, was better at blending in. Our eyes were on the dance floor, watching as JC danced provocatively with a girl in a low cut top, mini skirt and thigh-high stilettos.

"Is he always this familiar with the ladies?" I yelled, struggling to keep my voice afloat.

Alec shrugged. "He's always so uptight at home. This is the only way he knows how to let loose."

I averted my eyes as JC's hands skimmed over the girl's body intimately. "So why'd you lie to him?"

"What do you mean?"

"You told JC I saved your life. You made it sound like I jumped in to be some sort of hero, but we both know I was just finishing a job I started."

Alec nodded, considering my remark. When he opened his mouth to reply, his eyes locked onto something across the dance floor and his body stiffened. I followed his gaze to two tall figures drifting through the crowd. As if sensing our stares, one of them glanced back in our direction. Even against his milky pallor, his silver eyes were far too bright to be human.

_Downworlders_.

Alec set his drink on a nearby table and began twisting through the throng of people. I followed close behind, my eyes never leaving the vampires as they hastily made their way to the exit. Alec tapped JC's shoulder as we passed but did not stop to talk. I could feel JC's eyes burn into my back as he fell into step with us.

Eventually we managed to push ourselves outside. I inhaled a breath of cool, fresh air and looked around. Alec spotted them before I did. His pace was measured; slow enough to make it seem like we were not stalking anybody, but swift enough not to let the Downworlders out of our sight.

Block after block passed beneath our feet. I soon found myself disorientated by the labyrinth of streets and buildings. Alec and JC seemed too focused on our targets to be bothered by the declining affluence around us. The growing hush that swept over the surrounding area sent shivers down my spine.

The Downworlders turned and passed through the open door of a deserted warehouse, fading into the shadows slithering inside. The three of us came to a halt, scouting the outside for any vampires hiding in the cover of night.

"That seem a little too easy to you?" JC asked.

Alec removed the glamour from his weapons belt and unsheathed a seraph blade. "Did you expect anything less? They love the taste of our blood. Dinner just got delivered."

JC and I pulled out our own seraph blades. Witchlights in hand, we moved towards the door, drawn in to the beckoning of lethal darkness.

"Every last one of them dies," Alec reminded us. Our backs to each other, we kept a tight formation as we crept to the center of the main floor. Our only company was the soft whispers of our breathing and the barely audible shuffling of our feet. Combined, our witchlights illuminated half the floor, but I still felt swallowed by the sinister dimness.

"Alec."

Two silver eyes, glowing like a cat's in the dark, were staring at us from the right. JC stalked forward, his face determined.

"JC, wait!"

There was a loud snap, like a rope being pulled taut, and JC's feet swept out from under him. His body was flipped upside down and he was dragged upwards, dangling by one leg. The witchlight slipped from his fingers as his feet broke through the boards above and he disappeared onto the next floor. Splinters of wood rained down on us. Thuds, bangs and screeches followed the chips downward.

As if on cue, four vampires emerged from the shadows, fangs bared and lips curved into malicious smiles. I swallowed hard, my heart racing with both exhilaration and fear. Alec's back suddenly pressed against mine.

"Stay close to me," he whispered.

The feeling of having my back guarded was alien to me, but I found myself relaxing slightly, comforted. I felt less exposed; I was not fighting four vampires alone, I was fighting two. I'd spent my entire life learning to survive on my own, never relying on anyone to protect me, but putting my trust in Alec was as easy as breathing. He had my back, and I found myself ready to willingly sacrifice life or limb for him.

The two vampires from the nightclub charged us first. I ducked out of the way as the Downworlder lunged for my throat and swung my blade at his belly, but he twisted away and sprung at me again. His body collided with my side and knocked me to the floor, where we rolled in a dizzying frenzy to gain the advantage. The vampire pinned me beneath him, grinning triumphantly as I struggled to free my wrists. With a hiss he opened his jaws and ducked his head down towards my neck.

A whistle cut through the air and something wet splattered against my face. At first I thought it was my own blood that had spurted from the bite, but there was no pain. Absently, I had closed my eyes while I waited for the attack. I opened them now and found a headless corpse hovering over me. I wrenched myself free and pushed the body off to the side.

Alec was backed against a wall, holding off the remaining three vampires. He had moved from where we were before and his seraph blade was stained with black blood. He'd saved me.

"Hey!"

All three of the Downworlders turned their heads towards me. Alec swung his blade at the nearest vampire, decapitating him as he was distracted by my yelling. The other two threw themselves out of the way before Alec could touch them. I jumped to my feet and bolted towards the one closer to me. We clashed against each other, knocking the breath out of my lungs, but I swung us around, putting myself between him and Alec. When he reached for me I swung my blade in an arc and the weapon drove itself upwards from the vampire's gut into his ribcage. He snarled but before he could do anything more, I yanked the blade out and swung it sideways, severing his neck. The look of shock remained on his face as his head separated from his body.

"Jace! Back flip!"

I launched myself into the air and tumbled heels over head before landing, perfectly balanced, on the balls of my feet. The last Downworlder came to a halt, now in front of me. The reversal of our positions caught him off guard. I decapitated him before he could turn around to face me.

Alec appeared at my side, panting heavily. When I turned to look at him my eyes widened at the blood gushing down the side of his face from a deep slash in his cheek. I swore and held my witchlight closer to his face to inspect the wound.

"What the hell happened to you?"

Alec kicked at the vampire's hand with the toe of his boot until the fingers unclenched and a shard of glass tinkered against the floor. "Bastard must have picked it up from somewhere in here."

"We need to get you back to Magnus."

"Not until we burn these sons of bitches," Alec argued. "JC!"

"Don't get your panties in a knot!"

Alec and I glanced upwards. JC was sliding down towards us on the rope that had snagged him, his seraph blade sheathed at his hip. When his feet landed firmly on the ground, he gave the rope a sharp tug.

"Nifty little booby trap."

"How many were upstairs?" Alec asked.

"Only three." JC grinned. "Piece of cake."

Alec sheathed his weapon and pulled out his lighter. "Let's pile them up and get the hell out of here. I could use a drink."

The three of us split up, each grabbing a separate body and dragging it into the center of the floor. I retraced my steps back to the matching head, but when I reached down to pick it up, a loud clang interrupted my movements. I whirled around, expecting a forgotten Downworlder to materialize before us. But it had not come from a vampire.

Alec was standing over one of the carcasses, his eyes wide and his face drained of color. His lighter was laying on the ground where he had dropped it. He crouched down and, with a shaky hand, reached out to the hollow of the vampire's throat. When he pulled his hand away and straightened, I caught the glint of a golden chain dangling from his clenched fingers. He stared at the object in his palm for what felt like hours, completely silent. When I looked over at JC, his expression was as baffled as my own. Before either of us could say a word, Alec's face contorted with rage and he stormed past us, exiting the warehouse. JC shot me another look before dashing after him.

I hesitated, unsure if it was my place to follow. There was a shimmer in the dark, a silent answer to my question. I retrieved Alec's lighter from the floor and started after them.

The return trip back to Magnus's was tense and uncomfortably quiet. JC and I had kept our mouths shut all the way back to the apartment building out of respect. When we got in the elevator, JC mustered enough courage to ask what was wrong, but Alec ignored him. He glared at the elevator doors, seething.

"You should really get Magnus to look at that cut," I said quietly.

Alec blinked and touched his fingers to his cheek, as if he'd forgotten about the injury. When he pulled his hand away and glimpsed the blood thickly coating his skin, he curled his fingers into a fist and returned to staring daggers at the elevator doors. His silence roused a worry harbored deep inside my gut.

The second the doors slid open, Alec started forward, moving at an alarming pace. We followed him into the main area where Magnus was leaning against the kitchen counter, sipping a cup of steaming liquid and awaiting our arrival. One look at our expressions and the smile on his face faltered.

JC stopped as Alec turned the corner and headed down the hallway, but I pursued him. There was great unrest within me; I had to know what was going on. My mind was screaming at me to leave this problem for Magnus and JC and grovel back to the lifestyle of me, myself and I, but my heart...I'd suffered pain before. Looking at Alec now was like looking in a mirror. Suffering alone was a burden, and, for some reason I had not yet fathomed, I wanted to help him carry it.

"Alec--"

He abruptly turned into a room on the left and slammed the door behind him. I heard a faint click as he locked the doorknob. I raised my fist to knock but hesitated, staring at the smear of blood left behind on the door.

_He doesn't need you. He needs someone else_.

Why did the thought send a pang of hurt through my chest? With a sigh, I bent down and placed Alec's lighter at the foot of the door and headed back down the hallway to fetch Magnus.


	3. Dark Inside

Magnus had not yet returned from Alec's room. The apartment had become a graveyard; no movement, no noise, no energy. JC was seated on one of the counters, polishing his seraph blade with a towel. I was leaning against the back of the couch with my arms crossed, as if that could fend off the awkward silence between us. My eyes were glued to the end of the hall, waiting for the warlock to reappear. With any luck, Alec would be in tow behind him.

"You can leave, you know."

I glanced over at JC, who hadn't lifted his eyes from his work. "Excuse me?"

"Your services will no longer be required. Go home, Jace."

I bristled. "I'm not leaving until I know Alec is okay."

"He's not yours to check up on."

"I'm not leaving," I said firmly.

JC paused and his dark eyes slowly drifted up to my face, blazing. "What did you say?"

I straightened and dropped my hands down to my sides, clenching them into fists. "I said no."

JC hopped down from the counter and set his weapon aside. He crossed the floor in four long strides and pushed himself into my personal space. Using his slightly taller height to his advantage, he glowered down at me and held his face mere inches away from mine. Though his close proximity made me slightly uncomfortable, he did not evoke any intimidation.

"Get out of my house," he hissed.

"It's not your house to kick me out of," I pointed out, my tone icy. "I'll leave when Alec or Magnus tells me to."

"Why are you so desperate to stay?" JC queried, disgusted.

"Why are you so desperate to make me leave?" I shot back.

JC snatched a fistful of my shirt and yanked me even closer towards him. "I will not ask you again--"

"Gentlemen."

JC twisted his head around but did not loosen his grip. Magnus was standing nearby, his cat eyes narrowed behind his glasses. One hand was tucked casually inside his jacket pocket, the other was down at his side, palm facing us and blue sparks flashing against his skin.

"Is there a problem?"

"No," JC answered, annoyed by Magnus's interruption.

He released me and smoothed out my shirt, thumping me harder than necessary on the chest when he was finished. When his back was turned, it was all I could do not to throw my fist into his kidney. I bit my tongue and inhaled deeply through my nose, suffocating my anger with a breath of composure.

"How's Alec?" I asked.

"Nothing a little sleep won't fix. You," he pointed at JC, "you're coming with me."

"Where are we going? Detention?"

Magnus cocked his head, considering it. "In a way, I suppose. We're going to finish off those vampire carcasses you left behind. A little labor should teach you not to manhandle our guests."

"Fine," JC growled. "Get rid of him and we'll go."

"Actually," Magnus's gaze shifted back to me, "I'd like you to stay here. Keep a close eye on Alec, would you?"

"Unbelievable," JC spat under his breath. "Alec brings home a stray and now you want to adopt him."

"Do you have a problem with that, Jonathan Christopher?" Magnus challenged.

"I have a problem with you leaving this mutt here alone with my vulnerable friend."

"Jace," Magnus said, eyes still locked on JC, "do you promise not to kill Alec while we're gone?"

"Yes," I said honestly.

"And do you promise not to poop on the floor like a good little doggy?"

"Unbelievable," JC said again, throwing his arms into the air and stalking towards the elevator.

Magnus gave me a wink before following JC out. I waited for the soft thud of the doors sliding shut and slumped back against the couch. I sighed and rubbed a hand over my face, drowsiness suddenly tugging at my eyelids. All I had to do was tuck in my legs, swivel around, plop down onto the soft leather and allow myself to drift off to sleep. It was a tempting thought, but I did not want to give JC any more reasons not to trust me.

Down the hall, a door softly clicked shut. As if someone had flipped a switch inside me, my senses became instantly alert and my fatigue vanished. I leaned forward far enough to peer around the corner and down the hall.

Alec was walking towards me, and when he glanced up and saw me peeking at him, he neither slowed his pace or spoke a word. He continued on as if I didn't exist, turning in the direction of the elevator. Curious, I got up and followed him. He was already inside the elevator by the time I made it halfway across the wooden bridge. Taking me by surprise, Alec held out his arm, preventing the doors from sliding shut. He waited for me patiently, eyes cast downward. I stepped inside and bit my lip, not daring to utter a word and shatter the silence. Alec pushed the button for the roof.

When the doors slid open, the cool early morning air licked at my skin, coaxing the emergence of goose bumps. Faint whispers of city life drifted from below. It was peaceful. Even with Alec's enigmatic behavior, I felt at ease under the light of the setting moon.

Alec stood at the center of the roof and reached into his pocket. I masked my shock when he pulled out a cigarette. He plucked his lighter from his other pocket.

"Thank you for bringing this back," he said, still refusing to meet my eyes.

"You're welcome."

"Do me a favor." He popped the cigarette between his lips. "Don't tell Magnus."

I grinned. "Tell Magnus about what?"

Alec finally looked up and smiled crookedly, his eyes a magnificent silver-blue under the moon's radiance. "I was supposed to quit. He said he was getting tired of healing my charred lungs."

"Wouldn't want your lungs to match your outfit." I looked pointedly at his black leather jacket. "Your face looks better."

Alec lit the cigarette and took a deep drag. "Are you saying I'm handsome, Jace?"

"I said it's an improvement." I tapped my chin. "Still not quite as pretty as mine."

A puff of smoke escaped when he laughed. He took another drag and looked up into the sky. City lights, New York's stars, sparkled in his eyes.

"I suppose you're wondering what my little tantrum was all about."

I shrugged. "You don't have to tell me."

Alec reached under the collar of his jacket and pulled out the golden chain now clasped around his neck. A small golden heart dangled from his fingertips. Alec let the locket fall against his chest.

"This was my sister's."

I shook my head, confused. "Why did a vampire have it?"

Alec took a long drag and exhaled completely before answering. "It was a vampire that murdered her."

"Alec..." I trailed off, at a loss for words.

"She was completely drained of blood when I found her." Alec flicked the cigarette butt at the ground and smothered it with his boot. "The same as my parents."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't change anything. They're still dead." Alec picked up the locket again and gazed down at it, his lips curving into a small smile. "I gave this to her years ago. She never took it off once."

I reached my hand out to rest it on Alec's shoulder but he stepped back, shaking his head. When he looked away, I caught the glimmer of tears pooling in the bottoms of his eyes.

"You want to know the worst part, Jace? I swore that I would avenge my family, and I did. I slaughtered every last vampire that was in the clan that destroyed my life. But when it was over, I truly started to feel alone. Everything was gone; there was nothing to live for." Alec spread his arms. "So I found myself on a rooftop, much like this one. The only different was that, instead of standing here, I was poised on the ledge. One step and I could have ended it all. I wanted to die so badly. That's the worst part. I fought so hard to keep Izzy's memory alive, to take the lives of those that deserved to burn in hell, but in the end, all I wanted to do was kill myself. I was selfish. Weak. She'd be so ashamed of me, Jace..."

"But you're still here, Alec." My voice was hushed.

Alec snorted. "Only because of JC."

"No," I said, swatting away the hundreds of questions now buzzing in my head. "Everyone has a choice, Alec. _You_ chose to live. Not JC."

"He had to convince me, Jace!" Alec shouted. "If anyone knew how easily life could be snatched away, it was me. But instead of trying to make the best of mine, I wanted to throw my life off the top of a roof. How is that not pathetic?"

"It's not pathetic," I said. "It's the price you pay for having a heart and a soul. Your family could never be ashamed of you, Alec. The love for you that lived in them now survives in Magnus and JC."

A tear escaped Alec's eye and rolled down the cheek that had been covered in blood hours earlier. "I don't deserve their love."

I grabbed Alec's shoulder and squeezed, staring straight into his eyes. "Yes, you do."

Alec held my gaze for a moment before his eyes slowly drifted down to my lips. He took a step closer, my hand still resting on his shoulder. His warm breath tickled my face as he leaned in. My heart slammed against my ribcage, every muscle frozen and tensed, as if waiting for a jolt of electricity.

"Alec..." I breathed shakily, a hushed warning, just as his lips brushed mine.

My hand fell away as he pulled back slightly, blinking furiously as if waking up from a dream. I braced myself for his onslaught of reactions: anger, rejection, remorse, despondency. His face, however, remained impassive. He took another step back, distancing himself from me. Though I could not see any pain in his face, I felt as guilty as if I'd reached out and slapped him.

Alec cleared his throat and looked at me steadily.

"I think," he said quietly, "you should go home."


	4. Alone

I ducked my head down against the assault of the rain. Though my hood had been drawn, the wind had forced the rain in all directions. It had started as tiny droplets of chilly water kissing my face, but by the time I had walked halfway to Magnus's apartment, my hair, face and throat were drenched. Then again, all of me was soaked, but all I could really feel was the icy tickle of sneaky droplets of rain slithering down the back of my neck. The sensation left me unnerved. Of course, the rain wasn't the only reason for my feelings of unease.

I hadn't seen or heard from Alec in days. I hadn't heard from anyone, for that matter. Not Magnus. Not JC. It was as if the second Alec sent me away, my connection will all of them had been severed. A rope that had been thrown to me had been suddenly cut, and now I was frantically trying to regain a grip on the rope of my old life. But my hold on my old life was slipping. I found myself constantly thinking about the others. When I tried to distract myself by going on a hunt, I found myself glancing over my shoulder more frequently than usual. The feeling of vulnerability and exposure was incessant. More than that, the realization that I was alone, a thought that I had once paid no heed to, bothered me. I felt...incomplete.

The downpour of rain ceased as I stepped under the canopy of Magnus's apartment building. I breathed a sigh of relief and pulled my hood back, shaking my head and sending droplets of water flying from my sopping hair. I continued forward and reached my hand out for the door, but a voice stopped me.

"Didn't expect to see you back here."

I turned and found JC standing at the curb, rain dripping from his silver hair. He seemed at ease standing with a slight slouch and with his hands in his pockets, but his narrowed eyes said otherwise. My showing up had obviously irritated him. I bristled defensively. I hadn't even looked at him. If he hadn't said anything I never would have noticed him standing there. What had I done to agitate him?

"What are you doing out here?" I queried.

JC stuck up his nose as if he did not intend to answer me, but finally he replied, "Magnus and Alec were getting...rambunctious, so I decided to give them some privacy."

"Oh."

I took a step back from the door, disappointed. What was I supposed to do now? Go home? Wait outside? Going inside was out of the question. Interrupting that would not get me into their good graces.

"Seriously, Jace, why did you come back?" JC questioned icily.

I stumbled over my words as it dawned on me that I did not even know the answer to that question. "I--I don't know."

JC rolled his eyes. "Oh my God. So what? You have one little bonding moment with Alec and now you're obsessed with him?"

"No!"

The rising of my voice brought a smirk to JC's face. "I see."

His tone told me that he did not believe me.

"It's not like that," I said firmly. "I'm done with working solo. I need someone to have my back. And I think we can find the bastard that's smoking Shadowhunters if we put our heads together."

That obliterated JC's grin. "Alec is _my_ partner, Jace. There's no room for you. You'll only make us weaker. You'll throw us off balance. Alec can't have my back if he's busy saving your ass."

My eyes narrowed. "You want Alec all to yourself. Now who's obsessed with him?"

"Alec has been claimed by Magnus," JC went on, unfazed, "but he's still my partner. You have nothing. You have no one."

His words sliced through me, but JC did not seem pleased by his evoking my pain. His expression was difficult to read. At first I thought I saw pity, but the coldness in his dark eyes betrayed the existence of something else...Revulsion?

"This decision isn't yours to make. My proposition is for Alec."

JC rolled his eyes again and sighed heavily, "Oh, go home, Jace. You don't belong here. We're not your family. We're not your friends. Besides, no one wants you here. Don't you think if Alec wanted to see you he would have contacted you by now?"

I opened my mouth to protest, but faltered when I found myself finding truth in JC's words. I did not have Alec's phone number and he did not have mine, but locating me would not have been a challenge for him. He was a skilled hunter, cunning and street-savvy. My whereabouts would have been easily obtained; yet, he had not tried to seek me out. He did not want to see me.

"How were you planning on getting inside anyway?" JC asked lightly, as if we were talking about the weather. "You don't even have a key card."

"Just forget about it," I muttered. "Forget I was ever here today."

JC inclined his head smugly. "With pleasure."

Not bothering to draw up my hood I stepped back out into the rain. I was too numb to feel the icy rain chilling me to the bone. My shoulders drooped as I retraced my steps back to my own apartment, no intention of ever trying to find Alec again.

* * *

 

It did not take long for me to break the promise I had made to myself. I had forbidden myself from even thinking about Alec, Magnus or JC, but as I focussed on identifying the unknown Shadowhunter slayer I found myself trying on Alec's shoes. I thought back to seeing him with the demon in the alley, the way they had greeted each other in the cafe. They had not been strangers to each other, that was for certain. Alec and the demon had been familiar with each other.

_What were you doing making an acquaintance with a demon, Alec?_ I thought.

I wondered how that was even possible. Demons and Shadowhunters hated each other. My first thought was that the demon was supplying Alec with information about the Shadowhunter slayer. My second thought was that if that was true, there was absolutely no chance of the demon supplying said information free of charge. I shuddered to think of what Alec was using as a form of payment.

The strategy was reckless. Alec had been risking his life to obtain information that was most likely falsified. Still, the unveiling of this lethal enemy was nothing if not a giant dead end. There truly was no other choice.

Thus, I found myself loitering outside the cafe, hands shoved in my coat pockets and my eyes scrutinizing the cafe's door. I had been tracking the demon for quite some time before I met Alec. I knew the routes he took around the city, his favorite locations for unwinding, the other demons he associated himself with. One of those acquaintances was also a frequent visitor of the cafe. It had taken some time, but I had finally tracked him down and followed him to the last place his friend had been seen alive.

A light breeze ruffled my hair. Though the air was chilly it had stopped raining, I could wait outside for the demon for as long as it took. I needed to know anything and everything he knew about the Nephilim murders.

My sharp senses came to full alert as a chestnut-haired boy stepped from the cafe, a steaming Styrofoam cup in his hand. He stopped abruptly and his gaze flicked over to me. His lips tugged into a frown and he turned, heading in the opposite direction. I hurried to catch up, smirking in satisfaction when the demon noticeably shied away from me.

"Can I help you?" he growled, eyes trained directly in front of him.

"If you value your life you'll help me."

The demon's eyes drifted over to me and I subtly pulled at the collar of my jacket, tugging it down far enough for him to catch a glimpse of the rune peeking out from under my shirt. The demon's lips curled with disgust.

"Nephilim," he hissed. "I knew it."

We gathered behind a crowd of people waiting at the cross walk. I inched closer to the demon, trying to make him as uncomfortable as possible. He was smaller in stature; I could use intimidation to get him to submit.

"You used to have a blonde friend, no?"

The demon raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to need more than that."

I lowered my voice. "Blonde hair, ill color, cluster of eyes in the middle of his face, lots of teeth...he had a tendency to bite."

"Oh yeah. I know who you're talking about." The demon's eyes narrowed. "Haven't seen him around lately..."

"Come with me and I'll explain why."

"Do you think I'm that stupid, Nephilim?" he snarled. "As soon as we're secluded you'll kill me."

"I won't," I said firmly. "You have something I need."

"Get lost, little Shadowhunter. All I can offer you is the advice to walk away now before something happens to that pretty little face of yours."

"Walk away now and I will kill you," I promised. "Come with me and I will not lay a finger on you."

The demon sighed heavily. "I do not trust the words of a Shadowhunter, but I really don't have much choice, do I?"

We walked in silence. When we came to the familiar alleyway I gruffly instructed the demon to follow me. He reluctantly fell into step beside me as we wandered farther down the alley. When we rounded the corner, hidden from the eyes of any passersby, we came to a halt and faced each other. The demon looked down at the cup in his hand, no longer steaming, and upended it, spilling the contents on the ground before he chucked the empty cup aside. When he looked back up at me his expression was both suspicious and bored.

"Nice glamour," I commented, noticing his one blue eye and his one brown eye.

"Don't toy with me, angel boy. Why did you bring me here?"

I shrugged and said nonchalantly, "This is where your friend was killed."

The demon bristled, his mismatched eyes blazing. "I guessed as much."

"I didn't say _I_ did it."

"What's the difference? All Shadowhunters are the same. Cold-blooded murderers. Each and every one of you deserve what's coming to you."

I stiffened, fighting to keep my emotions under control. "Did you ever see your friend hanging out with a Shadowhunter?"

The demon cocked an eyebrow. "You talking about the dark-haired, blue-eyed gothic kid that that warlock is nailing?"

I gritted my teeth at the snide remark. "Yeah, that's him."

The demon nodded. "Yes, I've met Alec. The two had a business arrangement."

"What kind of business arrangement?"

The demon smirked. "That scandal is not for your ears. I wouldn't want to taint the pure image of your Shadowhunter friend."

_Demons lie_ , I told myself. _Don't believe a thing he is saying about Alec. Alec would never do something as derogatory as this demon is suggesting. He's smarter than that. He has more self respect--_

My thoughts scattered as I reminisced the things Alec had told me up on the roof all those nights ago. Alec hated himself. Suicide had been a recurring thought in his head. I did not know how far Alec would actually go. What was he willing to do, to sacrifice, in order to gain information about something killing off our kind one by one?

"I want to make you a proposal," I said finally.

"Is that so?"

"I want to know everything your friend told Alec that you know of. I also want you to tell me everything you know about the recent Shadowhunter murders."

"I don't know anything," he huffed.

"Really? That's too bad." I reached behind me and pulled out a dagger sheathed at my back hidden under my jacket. "I guess there's really no reason to keep you alive, is there?"

The demon squirmed. "Wait. I've got a couple things to spill, but what will you give me in return?"

"I'll let you live, and since I'll be checking in with you from time to time, I'll keep you alive."

"And then what? As soon as you no longer need me you'll dispose of me?" he sneered. "And what's stopping your friends from killing me?"

"You're smart," I countered. "I'm sure you can avoid them easily. In the mean time, I'll do what I can to keep them off your trail."

The demon crossed his arms and inclined his head. "Your offer is not good enough."

"Huh?" I blurted, taken aback. "What else do you want?"

The demon's lips curved into a malevolent smile. "I have acquired a taste for Shadowhunter blood. In exchange for the information I possess, I get to drink your blood."

"I see what you and your friend had in common. You both liked to bite. Did he like to drink blood too, or is that your own fantasy?"

"I have made my offer, Nephilim. Take it or leave it. Don't bother with a counter-offer. Go ahead and kill me, if that's what you choose. Just know that I'm taking everything I know with me."

I considered the options in my head, not that there were very many to go on. If I killed him I was back to square one, and square one meant me moping around my apartment alone with nothing to think about but Alec, and if he and the others were making any headway on the case. I was too desperate to refuse.

"Fine," I spat out. "Cough it up and I'll let you have a taste."

The demon held up his hand. "Not so fast. I get my end of the bargain first, then I'll tell you what I know."

I clenched my hand tighter around the dagger and sized the demon up. Though his physique was smaller than mine, I had noticed a definite change in his behavior since we had separated from the crowd of people. He had become more confident in himself and noticeably less nervous around me than he had been before. Had that been a ruse? My instincts told me he was stronger than I had anticipated.

"You think I'm an idiot? I'm insulted. Forget about our deal. I'm just going to kill you now and save myself the trouble."

The demon chuckled. "You can try. Give it your best shot, Shadowhunter."

As I raised the dagger the demon's skin began to ripple, a scale-like pattern, silver in color, beginning to form. Thick black claws sprouted from his fingertips, each one sharpened to a fine edge. He did not even flinch as I brought the weapon down. A gasp tore from my lips as the blade bounced off his skin, ineffective. His scales were impenetrable. I slashed at him again, switching my aim from his throat down to his chest, but it was like trying to stab the surface of a diamond. His entire body was protected.

The demon roughly seized me by the throat and shoved me back against a wall. I swung the dagger at his face and he snatched my wrist in his free hand, twisting until I cried out and the weapon clanged against the ground. He slid his hand up my arm until his razor-sharp nails were digging into my bicep. Ever so slowly he began to drag his nails downward, carving five deep paths down to my elbow. I hissed in pain and kicked at his shins, but my blows were about effective as the dagger. He continued on, unflinching. A steady gush of blood ran down my forearm and dripped from my fingertips.

"What's wrong, little Nephilim?" he sneered. "For all that tough talk about killing me, you sure aren't putting up much of a fight."

His grip tightened around my neck and I automatically began clawing at his hand, trying to pry his fingers away as I struggled to breathe. He tilted my head to the side, exposing my throat. He fixed his dual colored eyes on my face as he reached up and ripped three gashes in the side of my neck. I immediately felt the hot blood pouring out of the wounds.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the demon said suddenly. "I forgot to make you numb first. Silly me. Those wounds must hurt something fierce."

I kept my teeth gritted against the pain. My stomach roiled and dizziness clouded my vision. Before I could register what he was doing, the demon craned his neck towards me and clamped his teeth down into a section of untouched flesh. There was a brief stinging sensation before a cold numbing sensation began to creep through me. My legs wobbled beneath me and I found myself sagging against the wall to stay upright. The demon's grip loosened around my throat, but he kept his hand there to hold me up. He grinned as I swayed unsteadily.

"That's better, isn't it? Just relax. It'll be like falling asleep. You'll lose consciousness before you completely bleed out."

"No," I whispered, pushing at him feebly.

The demon leaned forward, but before he put his mouth over my throat, a hand clamped over his forehead from behind and yanked backwards. He snarled as his head bent away from me, but before he could turn to face his attacker a seraph blade was plunged to the hilt into his blue eye. The demon's hands immediately fell away from me before he burst into a cloud of ashes.

I slid to the ground and blinked, the wave of sudden fatigue almost too great for me to fight off. Someone knelt next to me but I could not recognize them through half-lidded and blurred eyes. Something cold pressed against my neck and the exhaustion began to recede. I turned my head and found JC crouched next to me, stele in his hand. The frown on his face deepened as he assessed my condition.

"What are _you_ doing here?" I grumbled.

JC scowled. "I think the words you're looking for are: thank you."

"I didn't ask for your help."

JC narrowed his eyes and as he reached for my injured arm I cringed away from him, swatting his hand away.

"Jace," JC sighed. "Don't be an idiot. Let me heal your arm."

"I don't need your help," I hissed, awkwardly pushing myself to my feet.

"What is your problem?" JC got up and blocked my path. "Damn your pride, Jace--"

I roughly shoved my way past him. "Go home, JC. I can take care of myself."

JC did not protest or try to follow me, but he called out, "Don't let your stubbornness kill you. The iratze on your neck will burn away the venom and the numbness will wear off. If you can't put an iratze on your arm, go to a damn hospital before you bleed out."

I stumbled back out onto the sidewalk and began weaving my way through the crowd, cradling my arm against my chest and shielding it from the eyes of the mundanes to the best of my abilities. I had no intention of going to the hospital. I was determined to get home and fix the problem on my own.

_I don't need your help, JC. Not yours or Magnus's or Alec's. I don't need anyone's help. I can take care of myself. I never stopped being alone._

* * *

 

"Damn it!"

The bandaging around my arm had come loose again, and the white material was already soaked through with blood. I unwound the lengthy strand, deposited the soiled bandaging in the sink and cut a fresh length.

JC had been right; the numbing venom had worn off long before I had reached my apartment. Sweat had plastered my hair to my forehead and my right hand trembled uncontrollably by the time I stumbled through the door. I immediately tried to draw an iratze, but the usage of my left hand made it impossible. If only the wound had been on the other side, then I could have used my dominant hand...

JC had also been correct about something else: I was far too stubborn and proud. Even after my fourth attempt of wrapping up my wound, I still refused to go to the hospital. Not because my injury would bring about a swarm of unwanted questions in the emergency room, but because the thought of giving JC any satisfaction from me being unable to take care of myself made my stomach roil. I was bent on proving him wrong.

I flinched as I pulled the bandage taut and began clumsily wrapping it around my bicep. The gauze I placed over the cuts was already showing splotches of red. I quickened my pace, hissing under my breath as the tightness sent sharp stabs of agony shooting up and down my arm.

A loud knock reverberated throughout the small apartment. I cursed under my breath. Whether it was from the blood loss making my mind clouded or my own over-confidence in my healing abilities, I had decided, at one point after I got home, to order pizza. In the short amount of time that had passed I had forgotten all about the idiotic decision. Obviously, my concern with my predicament had not been as substantial as it was now. Though my stomach growled on cue with the knock I felt no urge to eat. I wanted my wound taken care of.

I hurriedly pulled on my long sleeved t-shirt as another knock pounded impatiently against the door, groaning as my arm screamed in protest. After composing myself and straightening my appearance in front of the mirror quickly I left the bathroom and made my way to the door, my arms lifted slightly for balance as a rush of dizziness made the apartment tilt and spin. I unlocked the deadbolt and, my hand clamped around the doorknob, took a deep breath before pulling open the door.

My stomach lurched and my jaw dropped as I registered the form standing in front of me.

"Alec?"


	5. Surface Wounds

A smile tugged at the corner of Alec's lips and he lifted his arm, a flat white box balanced on his fingertips. "Special delivery."

I blinked, my jaw hanging wide open. "W-what are you doing here?"

Alec cocked his pierced eyebrow. "You going to invite me in?"

My fingers tightened their grip on the door, but, thankfully, Alec did not notice. The world was spinning again. I could feel the tears in my upper arm throb and pulse. I bit the inside of my cheek, hoping the pain would sharpen my vision. Though I wanted desperately to refuse and send Alec away, I knew he would not leave without questioning me. Perhaps I could convince him to go after I invited him in for a quick chat. But my wound was gnawing at me. I would have to keep focused and think quickly. The last thing I wanted was Alec fussing over me.

I stepped aside and made an invitational gesture with a sweep of my arm, clamping my teeth down on my tongue when the movement sent a wave of fire shooting through my arm. Alec stepped inside, his strides confident as his eyes darted around the small apartment. He placed the pizza box on the small, circular dining table and continued moseying about.

"It's not exactly penthouse standards," I said quietly.

He glanced at me over his shoulder. "I think it's great."

"Don't patronize me," I grumbled. "Or pity me."

Alec turned, his face serious. "I wasn't. Really, Jace. This place is warm, dry, quiet. Better than what I had at one point in my life."

That caught me off guard. My mouth opened as closed as I fumbled for something to say. Alec cleared his throat and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"So what have you been up to?" he asked awkwardly.

 _Great. Small talk._ I shook my head. There was no time for this. I did not know what Alec wanted from me, but I could not coddle him. At the moment the best I could be towards him was curt. My arm, from my elbow up to my shoulder, felt hot and wet. The bandages were not staunching the flow of blood. I was grateful for having pulled on a black long sleeve t-shirt. If the fabric was growing damp with blood, Alec gave no indication that he could see it.

"What are you doing here, Alec?"

Alec's blue eyes flitted across the room, avoiding contact with mine. "I just...I hadn't heard from you in a while and I wanted to check in."

"I'm an adult, for God's sake." My voice came out as a harsh hiss, and I continued in a softer tone. "You don't need to check up on me."

"I know. Jace, when I told you to leave the other night, I didn't mean you had to stay gone. But I was wondering if maybe my...actions...had scared you away...for good."

_Your actions? Scare me away? You think I'm a homophobe, Alec?_

I hung my head to hide my expression as I suffered through another onslaught of pain. The fingers of my left hand clenched tightly around my denim pant leg. I couldn't let Alec stay any longer. It took all my strength just to stay vertical.

"Can we not talk about this now?"

"Jace--"

"You kind of caught me at a bad time, Alec," I said hurriedly. "I need you to leave. Now."

Alec's mouth pressed into a thin line. He looked ruffled and slightly offended, but he gave a slight nod and said, "All right."

I let out a quiet sigh of relief, but I quickly became flustered again when Alec made no move towards the door. He was staring at me, his head cocked to the side. I locked gazes with him nervously.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "You're looking a bit pale."

"I'm fine," I answered hastily. "Can you just go, please?"

Alec held up his hands in mock surrender. "Fine. I'm going."

As he passed by me Alec turned.

"Take care of yourself, Jace."

I caught sight of the movement of his arm too late. His hand swung around to clap me on the shoulder. Before I could maneuver out of the way to avoid his touch, Alec's palm came into contact with my wounded arm. The touch, though light, was firm, but it felt like I'd taken a blow from a bat embedded with nails.

I let out a sharp gasp and stumbled slightly as my knees wobbled beneath me.

"What the hell?"

Alec was looking down at his palm. His gaze flicked over to me and when he noticed I was hunched over he reached out his hand, asking if I was all right. I stared at the light smear of blood against his skin. The gauze and bandages had been soaked through. I groaned and swayed on my feet. Alec let out a curse and lurched forward just in time to catch me in his arms before I hit the floor. He half-carried, half-dragged me into the living room and carefully lowered me to the ground, propping me up against the sofa.

"What happened, Jace?" he demanded.

"Nothing," I mumbled stubbornly. "It's just a scratch."

"Just a scratch, my ass. Your shirt is soaked!"

"It's not that bad. I just bleed a lot."

Alec glared at me, his jaw set. "Take your shirt off," he commanded.

When I sat there gaping at him, Alec rolled his eyes.

"I'm not going to jump your bones. Take your shirt off so I can see how bad it is."

"I can't." Noting the rising intensity of Alec's glower, I clarified, "If I lift my arm I'm going to pass out."

Alec cursed again. Without pursuing an argument he reached down and pulled out a knife concealed in his boot. He placed the blade against the hem of my shirt but hesitated before slicing the material.

"Sorry. I hope this shirt isn't a favorite of yours."

"No problem. I despise any piece of material that covers my glorious body. It's cruel, really, to keep this body hidden under clothes."

"Shut up," Alec grumbled, though not without a grin.

He made a small slit as the base of my shirt. Setting the knife aside, he grasped a flap of material in each hand and gave a sharp yank, ripping the shirt open up to my chest. He made quick work of tearing open the fabric from my chest up to the collar. I shrugged my left shoulder and slid my arm free of the sleeve. Alec carefully peeled the material down my right shoulder, muttering an apology as I hissed in pain. I lifted my hand from the floor and he pulled the scrap of fabric from my wrist.

"Still say it's just a scratch?" Alec growled as he beheld the now dark red bandages encasing my entire upper arm. "Did you lose your stele or something?"

"Try as I might, I was unable to suddenly become left handed."

"Why didn't you come find me? Or go to the hospital?"

"I was handling it, but then you showed up and interrupted me."

"You call this--" Alec motioned to my bloodied arm, "--handling it?"

"Don't yell at me. I'm injured." I smirked weakly. "You really need to work on your bedside manner."

"You can take your bedside manner and shove it." Alec's eyes met mine. "Please."

"That's more like it."

His face grew serious again as he looked at the bandages. "I'm going to have to take these off."

"Fine. Just be quick about it."

With a nod Alec gingerly tugged at the bandage up at my shoulder. Finally he found the end and tugged it free. Very carefully he began to unwind the strand from my arm. I let my head fall back against the sofa, turning away to hide my flinching from Alec. When he reached halfway down my bicep, I inadvertently lifted my right hand and clutched Alec's knee, tightening my grip as the sting increased in intensity.

"Almost there," he assured me, his voice soft.

I kept my mouth clamped shut and breathed through my nose, forbidding myself to let a single cry escape. It was bad enough that Alec was tending to my wounds. The last thing I needed was to come across as weak. The gashes hurt like hell, but I did not want to show that more than I had to.

Fresh blood coiled down my forearm as Alec unwrapped the end of the bandage at my elbow. He gently took my elbow in his hand and turned my arm as he inspected the five deep slashes, cursing aloud.

I pressed my left hand firmly against the ground, suddenly very lightheaded. "Alec, I'm really dizzy."

"Okay. Let's lay you down."

Alec slipped his arm around my waist and pressed his hand against the small of my back, scooting me towards him and away from the sofa. I turned my body and used my left hand for balance as I lowered myself to the floor. Alec moved his hand higher up my back to help me, only removing it when I was completely horizontal.

Without a word he reached into his pocket and removed his stele. With surprising tenderness he began to draw an iratze against my skin. The rune scalded me at first, white hot and unrelenting, but finally the pain began to ebb. The dizziness and nausea also began to fade. I let out a soft sigh as the flesh in my upper arm began to knit itself back together. Alec added another iratze for good measure and sat back on his heels, watching the healing process intently. When all the wounds were closed he slid his stele back into his pocket and wiped his hands on his pants.

"How does that feel?"

"Better," I whispered, relishing the warm numbness.

"So I have a question for you."

"Hmm?"

I suddenly found myself struggling to keep my eyelids open. My entire body felt exhausted. It was all I could do to not fall asleep right then and there. I closed my eyes, unbothered by the discomfort of the hardwood floor beneath me.

"You were bleeding to death," Alec said slowly, "and you felt the need to order pizza?"

"The heart wants what it wants," I muttered sleepily.

"No, no. Give me the real answer," he pressed. "I'm truly curious."

"I dunno. The blood loss made me kind of loopy. I guess I figured the injury wasn't as bad as it actually was. If it would have just stopped gushing blood I would have been fine. My shirt wouldn't be ripped to shreds and I'd be sitting on the sofa eating pizza and watching TV."

Alec shook his head. "You're such an idiot, Jace. You could have bled to death and the delivery kid would never have gotten a tip."

I opened my eyes and looked dreamily up at him. "Luckily my guardian angel showed up."

Alec rolled his eyes and teasingly turned my face away with a light shove. "Shut it, pretty boy. By the way, you owe me twenty bucks for the pizza."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll grab my wallet in a sec. Just...let me rest my eyes for a minute."

Fatigue tugged at my consciousness. Gradually I felt myself being lulled into sleep. Before the world completely disappeared around me, I felt two arms slide under me, one under my knees and the other under my shoulder blades. Alec carried me easily as he wandered through the apartment in search of my bedroom. As soon as my back pressed against the softness of the mattress on my bed, I was enveloped in a deep slumber.


	6. Scars Unveiled

I stirred at the sound of a raised voice and blinked, confused. I was laying in my bed under a mound of blankets, naked from the waist up. As the fog dissipated from my mind I became aware of the ache in my entire right arm. Clarity surged through me as I glanced down at the faint scars covering my right bicep. I gingerly pressed my fingertips against my marred skin and sucked in a breath at the tenderness. With a groan, I sat up and tossed the blankets aside as I crawled out of bed. I opened my bedroom door and quietly made my way down the short hallway to the living room, where Alec was seated on the sofa.

One hand was entangled in his hair while the other held his cell phone to his ear. I could not see his face, but the tension visible in his shoulders was enough to convey his agitation.

"The point is," Alec hissed into the phone, "you didn't say anything. You should have told me he was hurt, JC. He could have bled to death -- What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Alec paused, listening to the other end of the conversation. "He's my friend. I don't want him to die anytime soon. I don't think you can say the same thing."

I took a step back towards my room, not wanting to intrude on the private conversation. As much as it piqued my interest to hear JC have his ass handed to him, it wasn't right to eavesdrop on Alec's conversation. I flinched as the floorboard beneath my foot gave a hushed creak.

Alec turned calmly and met my gaze as if he had been aware of my presence the entire time. He lifted his finger to signal he'd be a moment longer and turned away again.

"That's bull and you know it. I have to go. Don't think this conversation is over."

I plopped down on the sofa beside Alec as he disconnected the call and rubbed his temples with his fingers. I glanced around the room awkwardly, unsure of what to say. Was I supposed to apologize for the trouble I had caused? Was I supposed to thank him first? Was I supposed to ask if Alec was okay? Was I supposed to ask about the situation with JC?

"Jace."

My gaze moved to Alec as he bumped my knee with the back of his hand.

"I asked how you were feeling."

"Oh, sorry," I murmured, embarrassed that I'd been too preoccupied to hear him. "I'm a little sore, but other than that I feel great."

Alec's eyes narrowed. "You look exhausted to me."

I shrugged my left shoulder. "Lack of sleep is nothing new to me."

"You can go back and get some more sleep," Alec offered. "I'll stick around if you need anything."

"You don't have to stay."

Alec leaned back into the sofa. "If I go home I might kill my roommate."

"Thank God for Bounty. The quicker picker-upper for those little messes you don't want the cops to know about."

Alec's lip twitched, but his face quickly turned serious again. "JC said he found you in the alley and that you refused to let him help you."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Yeah."

"Why?"

I started to tell Alec the same thing I'd told him earlier, that I thought I could handle the wound, that I thought it wasn't as serious as it had been. But I stopped myself. Alec had come to my aid in a bad situation. The least I could do was be honest with him.

"I didn't want JC's help because I was pissed."

"Pissed at...?"

"Pissed at JC." I took a deep breath. "Pissed at you."

"Pissed at me? Really?" Alec propped his elbow up on the arm of the sofa and rested his cheek in his palm, looking more amused than troubled by my confession.

"Yeah. Really," I bit out.

Alec's expression sobered. "You want to tell me why or would you rather just punch me in the face?"

"Look, Alec, don't think of me as desperate or as some sort of stalker. It's just...I have no family left. It's just me. So when you showed up and introduced me to the others and we fought together as a team...I felt like I belonged somewhere. Then you told me to leave the other night and I didn't hear from any of you for days. I thought you guys wanted nothing to do with me. It's like I was starving. You came along, offered me a hot meal, but all you did was eat the meal in front of me. Then you kicked me back onto the street."

Alec straightened. "That was not my intent, Jace."

"Whatever. It's fine."

"It's not. And I am sorry. Just know that I was not trying to cut you out of my life. As I said before, I just wanted to give you some space. I thought my advances had scared you off."

"I don't have a problem with who you are, Alec," I said firmly. "And I like you, but not in _that_ way."

"I'm sure I could change your mind," Alec teased.

"Yeah. Maybe if you were a little shorter and had different... _equipment_."

Alec grinned and nodded. "So what were you doing with that demon, anyway?"

I tensed, the ease brought on by the humor between us fleeing my body. I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees, my eyes searching the floor as I racked my brain for a response.

"Did you clean my floor?" I asked. "I don't see any bloodstains anywhere."

"Yeah, I did," Alec said slowly, aware of my evasion. "My boyfriend is a pro with getting stains out. He gave me some tips."

"I should hire you as my maid."

"Jace, what were you doing with the demon?"

I angled my body towards Alec at his commanding tone and growled, "It's not really any of your business, Alec."

"I just saved your ass," Alec said defensively. "I think I have a right to know."

"I just wanted information about the slayings of Shadowhunters."

"Demons aren't generous. They don't do things for free. You and I both know that. What were you offering as payment, Jace?"

My anger flared. "If I tell you, you better tell me about all the things _you_ did with demons, Alec."

Alec's blue eyes widened and he recoiled from me slightly.

"My informant told me you've been getting familiar with Downworlders. I see from your reaction that he was right."

"Shut up, Jace," Alec warned.

"Does Magnus know about your scandalous double life?"

"I said shut up!"

"What's the problem, Alec? You're allowed to work with demons but I'm not?"

Alec lurched to his feet. "I don't want the same thing that happened to me to happen to you!"

I gaped at the Shadowhunter, taken aback by the burst of emotion behind his words. "What are you talking about?"

Alec clenched his hands into fists at his sides. "Those vampires I hunted down and slaughtered for killing my family? I had to ask for their names. Each name came at a price. I gave what I had to. Money, blood, my body..." Alec looked away. "One of my informants took more than what I was willing to give."

My entire body went cold. I kept my mouth shut, half of me not knowing what to say and the other half silently willing Alec to continue. Numbness crept through me and I braced myself for what was to come next.

"I don't remember much of it. The bastard drugged me or something. But I get flashes from time to time. The things he did..." He let out a half-hearted laugh. "Jokes about dropping the soap aren't as funny anymore."

I slowly got to my feet. "Alec, are you saying you were--"

"Don't," Alec cut me off, holding up his hand. "Don't you dare say it."

"Does Magnus know?"

"No. Not yet. I'll tell him when I'm ready." When Alec noticed my expression he shook his head. "Don't feel sorry for me, Jace. I'm dealing with this. I made a mistake. The bastard wanted my blood and instead he took my body. It was my fault for getting into the situation anyway. But you know what? I'm moving on. I hunted the son of a bitch down and I killed him. He's dead. Why bother dwelling on it?"

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm sorry for bringing it up and I'm sorry for what happened to you. You can't say it's your fault, Alec--"

"Jace," he interrupted. "I don't need you to be my therapist. I want you to be the friend you were before I told you this. No hugging it out or any other chick flick stuff, okay?"

I hesitated before giving a reluctant nod. I could see that Alec needed to talk about this with someone, but I couldn't decide when it would be or who it would be with. Only he could. His past was destroying him on the inside, but he was acting like he was still all in one piece. I just hoped he'd open up before he sought an alternative to dealing with his inner demons.

"Jace," Alec said quietly. "You have to promise you won't get tangled up in that crap. No amount of information is worth what can be taken from you."

"I promise. We'll find another way to figure out who's killing Shadowhunters."

"Damn straight. I've got a few ideas--"

A thunderous crash and a sharp demon-like shriek cut off Alec's words. The noises, though loud, were muffled. Alec and I glanced upwards to see a cloud of dust floating towards us. The ceiling trembled as another crash and shriek followed.

"Those guys usually make that much noise?" Alec asked.

"Nope."

I turned and, with Alec in pursuit, bolted to my bedroom, dropping to my knees beside the bed and sliding a long black box out from underneath. I opened the lid and pulled out two seraph blades and a pair of daggers, handing one of each to Alec.

"Little black box under the bed?" Alec grinned, taking the weapons. "Classy."

"Classic place for a boy to hide his toys."

The two of us raced from my apartment and hurried up the staircase to the next floor. The halls were completely empty. Either no one else had heard the racket or no one was bothered enough to care. Alec and I approached the door directly above my place, weapons held at the ready. My arm was throbbing and when I looked down I cursed. In our haste to leave I hadn't been able to throw on a shirt. If this was a misunderstanding and I entered the apartment half naked, there would be consequences. Alec would never let me hear the end of it.

Alec stepped in front of me and reached for the doorknob. It was unlocked. With a light push, the door creaked open. Alec glanced over his shoulder at me before entering the apartment. The soft scuffles of our shoes against the floor seemed to shatter the silence. The air inside was too cold, sending a warning shiver up my spine. Something was definitely wrong.

Alec checked behind the doors of several closed bedrooms while I crept forward into the kitchen. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I located smears of blood on the far wall. One of the drawers was still open and a couple knives were scattered on the floor below. My hand tightened around my seraph blade as I cautiously moved through the room, following the smear of blood. When I stepped around the corner I found a bookshelf laying face down on the floor, books laying here and there. A glass coffee table had been shattered and a couch had been overturned. I avoided stepping on stray shards of glass as I sidestepped the bookshelf and approached the couch. A dark pool of liquid on the floor brought me to a halt. I turned and surveyed the room, my stance prepared for the appearance of an enemy.

Alec entered the room and stood on top of the bookshelf. "All the other rooms are clear."

I looked around, a question poised on my lips, but remained silent when a flutter of cream colored curtains caught my eye. Alec followed my gaze and approached the window, sticking his head out and glancing up and down. He straightened and slammed the window shut.

"Nothing but the fire escape," he growled. "Whatever that thing was, it's long gone."

I nodded and stepped around to the other side of the couch. Alec's boots thudded against the floor as he walked to my side. We found ourselves looking down into the lifeless eyes of a young woman. Her unblemished skin was pale and her lips were blue. Her curled brown hair was fanned out on the floor behind her head. Even after death she was quite beautiful. Anger ignited in the pit of my stomach when I saw the black curve of a rune peeking out from under the collar of her sweater.

"Did you know her?" Alec asked quietly.

I shook my head. "No. I had no idea another Shadowhunter lived in the same building. I've never even seen her before."

Alec couched down and gently tilted the woman's chin upwards, giving us a better view on the deep slash in her throat. He looked around at the floor. "You see a knife anywhere?"

I checked. "No."

"The killer must have taken it." Alec straightened and sighed. "That's one less of us."

"We have to find this thing and kill it," I hissed.

"And fast," Alec agreed. "This thing never used to leave a mark on its victims. It's becoming more violent."

I shook my head. "Why would it slit this girl's throat? I've seen male victims twice the size of her that didn't have a scratch on them."

"It hates Shadowhunters," Alec said, his voice ominously quiet. "It doesn't just want to kill us anymore. It wants to have a little fun."


	7. Keep Your Friends Close and Your Enemies Closer

Alec disconnected the phone call and stuffed his phone into his pocket, his eyes falling on the Shadowhunter at our feet.

"Is he on his way?" I asked.

As if to answer my question there was a strong gust of wind as Magnus Bane suddenly appeared in the living room. Once again he was dressed in an expensive suit. This one was white with black stitching, and underneath he wore a black shirt with a red tie. His hair was spiked like the first time I saw him, and I could see the eyeliner framing his yellow cat eyes behind his glasses. The warlock stood with his back straight and one hand casually shoved into his pocket. A cocky grin tugged at the corner of his lips. The charisma that rolled off the warlock screamed sex appeal. Even with his casual stance he looked regal. But there was a lethalness about him. He was like a wild animal; beautiful to admire from a distance, dangerous to approach.

Magnus's eyes widened as he surveyed the condition of the apartment and he grimaced when he saw the dead Shadowhunter. "Please tell me you're all playing an intense game of charades," he said.

"Demon killed her," Alec explained, crossing his arms.

Magnus's bright eyes flicked over to me. "Why are you not wearing a shirt?"

I flushed and stumbled over my words, but before I could make a coherent response Alec butted in.

"He has necrophilia."

"Ew," Magnus said.

My face burned even worse than before. "I do _not_ have necrophilia!" I shouted.

Alec patted me on the shoulder. "The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem."

I punched him in the arm. "Shut up, asshole!"

"Jace, don't hit my boyfriend," Magnus chided, though not without a smile.

Alec laughed and rubbed his arm. "I'm just messing with you, man. Don't blush so hard. It makes you look guilty."

"The only thing I'll be guilty of is throttling you in your sleep," I muttered.

"So, gentlemen," Magnus said cheerfully, "how can I be of assistance?"

"Can you look at this woman's body and see if you can find anything out of the ordinary?" Alec asked.

The warlock blinked. "I wasn't aware that I should be writing 'experienced coroner' on my resume. I don't understand how you expect me to help you out with this."

Alec wiggled his fingers. "You kind of have an advantage, Mr. Magic Hands."

Magnus grinned devilishly. "My hands _do_ work magic, don't they, Alec, love?"

I clamped my hands over my ears. "Whoa! Too much information!"

Alec and Magnus both laughed. The warlock strode across the room and placed himself between Alec and I, tilting his head as he gazed down at the deceased woman. He crouched down and traced his fingers delicately over the curve of the woman's cheek. They trailed down her throat, over the gaping wound there, down past her collarbone and came to rest on her chest. Magnus pushed his palm flat against her chest and cocked his head to the side, as if listening to a strange noise.

"What is it?" Alec prompted.

"I can't be sure," Magnus replied quietly. "I'll need to take a closer look. Let's go back to our place."

The warlock reached his arm out and aimed his palm to the area of the apartment where he had appeared. Blue sparks shot out from his hand as he muttered an incantation. I watched in amazement as a portal began to materialize in the room. I'd read about portals enough to know what they looked like, but never in my life had I actually used one. My stomach did a flip as I realized Alec and Magnus did not know I was inexperienced with portals. It felt embarrassing to have to admit it. It made me feel like a child.

When Magnus finished the spell he slipped his arms under the woman's knees and shoulders and lifted her from the floor with minimal effort. Thick globs of blood splattered against the floor and Magnus groaned, rolling his eyes. "Of all the days to wear a white suit," he grumbled. "I'll meet you boys other there."

Magnus crossed the room and walked through the portal. Alec put his hands on his hips and looked around.

"I'll have to convince him to come back here and clean up the mess. It'll take him much less time than it would for us to do it," he commented.

I followed the other Shadowhunter as he stepped around the pool of blood and approached the portal. As he stepped forward to walk into the portal I reached out and grabbed his wrist. Alec looked over his shoulder at me questioningly.

"Sorry," I apologized, releasing his wrist. "I just -- I've never used a portal before."

A look of surprise crossed Alec's face. "Really? It's easy. All you have to do is picture in your head where you want to go, then you just walk into it."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Easy as that?"

His smile faltered. "On second thought, maybe you should just hang on to me."

Alec extended his hand. I hesitated. He may have not had a problem holding hands with other guys, but that was something I was not accustomed to. Alec noticed my hesitation, but thankfully did not make any comment. Instead he repositioned his hand to grasp my forearm, making the gesture much less intimate. I wrapped my own fingers around his forearm and stepped up to the portal, swallowing hard.

"Let me do all the work. Just, whatever you do, don't let go," Alec instructed.

I gave a shaky nod and we moved forward together. Gusts of wind whipped at my hair and sucked the air from my lungs. A wave of nausea rolled over me as my stomach flipped and clenched. Dizziness joined the assault on me and my palms began to sweat. My hand slipped down closer to Alec's wrist. He immediately tightened his hold on me. I slammed my eyes shut and gritted my teeth, willing myself not to vomit.

Suddenly my feet hit a hard surface and my knees gave out from underneath me. Alec cursed as I crashed against the floor, but I was already pushing myself to my feet before he could offer to help me up. I bolted to the sink in the kitchen just in time to puke all over the shiny surface. Even when there was nothing left to vomit, my stomach roiled and I dry heaved until my muscles cramped.

A hand tentatively touched my back and began to rub up and down in soothing motions. I pushed my damp hair back from my forehead with a shaky hand and spit into the sink. Another hand held a glass of water in front of my face. I took it gratefully and used the first swig to rinse out my mouth before gulping down the rest of the glass. I straightened and turned on the tap, rinsing out the sink until there was no visible evidence of my sickness. Placing the empty glass in the sink, I turned to find Alec standing at my side, a sympathetic look on his face.

"Sorry. I should have warned you about the side effects," he said.

"Sorry I threw up in your clean sink," I replied, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

"Better the sink than the floor."

I opened my mouth to agree but I was interrupted by another voice.

"Alec?"

JC came hurrying down the hall, his expression concerned, but when he saw me he slowed his pace and narrowed his eyes. "I thought I heard someone getting sick."

I raised my hand. "That was me."

JC's lip curled as he measured me up. "Why are you not wearing a shirt?"

"Leave him alone, JC," Alec growled.

The dark-haired Shadowhunter crossed the kitchen and walked up to the sofa in the living room. He reached over the back and snatched up a piece of material. He offered the fabric to me as he came to stand at my side again. I picked it up gingerly and unfolded it to reveal a plain white shirt with long blue sleeves. I slipped the shirt on without complaint. Alec's scent filled my nostrils.

"So what is he doing here?" JC grumbled.

Alec crossed his arms, the muscles in his biceps bulging. "Jace is allowed over here whenever he likes. Get over it."

JC's eyes blazed. "I don't remember discussing this."

"It's not up for discussion," Alec retorted. "It's my decision. Magnus won't have a problem with it. If there was a vote it would be two against one. Just deal with it, JC."

JC's hands clenched into fists. He approached Alec and forced himself into the other Shadowhunter's personal space. "Don't be an idiot, Alexander," he snarled. "We can't trust him."

"Oh, bull!" Alec shouted. "You just don't like Jace. Admit it, JC. You feel threatened by him."

"That piece of shit doesn't threaten me!" JC yelled, shoving Alec roughly.

Alec gave JC a return shove. Suddenly the two Shadowhunters were grappling each other, grunting and snarling in rage. I stepped forward, unsure of what to do. JC rammed his knee up into Alec's stomach. Alec yelled and released JC. The two straightened, glaring at each other. Just as I thought the scuffle was over, Alec threw out his fist and punched JC squarely in the jaw. The silver-haired Shadowhunter dropped to the floor on his side. Alec took a step forward but I stopped him.

"Alec don't!"

Reluctantly, Alec retreated. His eyes were blue infernos as he glared down at his partner. His fists trembled at his sides in fury. Before he could change his mind and go after JC again, I moved forward and offered my hand to help the other Shadowhunter up.

JC's dark eyes met mine. His lip curled and he slapped my hand away. He pushed himself to his feet and glowered at me. The hatred visible in his eyes sent a shiver down my spine and I took an involuntary step back. Suddenly he lunged at me.

Alec's hand shot out and he shoved me behind him, shielding me with his own body. JC's look of surprise mirrored my own. Alec and JC were partners; they had known each other for a long time. But Alec was protecting _me_.

"Don't you dare touch him," Alec warned, his voice venomous.

JC took a deep breath, visibly trying to calm himself. "I don't want to hurt Jace, Alec. I just want him gone."

There was a moment of silence, then Alec said, "I think you're lying."

JC bristled. "Excuse me?"

"Just tell the truth. You've never liked Jace. And the reason why you never told me that Jace was hurt was because you wanted him to die. You knew he wouldn't go to a hospital. You knew he had no way of contacting me. You hoped he would bleed to death. You didn't think I would go out and find him, did you?"

"Fine. I admit that I don't like Jace," JC hissed. "But I never wanted him dead. There are too few Shadowhunters left as it is. I did not expect for him to survive his injuries. How fortunate that he's standing here now. However, I don't trust him and I certainly don't want him working with us."

"Well tough. Jace stays," Alec said firmly. "And if you try to hurt him or do him wrong in any way, I'll throw your ass out. Don't count on being alive when I do it, either."

JC's nostrils flared as he stared daggers at his partner. I could see his jaw bulge as he ground his teeth together behind closed lips. His eyes flicked over Alec's shoulder to lock with mine. His gaze scalded me and turned my blood to ice at the same time. Without another word, JC turned on his heel and stormed off down the hallway. I jumped at the loud slam of a door. Deep down I knew that this was not the end; one way or another, the problem would have to be resolved.

Alec let out a breath and turned to face me. He looked completely exhausted, not that I could blame him. JC and Alec were like brothers, and to fight with someone who was like family with both fists and words was physically and mentally taxing.

"Sorry about that," Alec said softly.

At a loss for words, all I could do was nod my head. Alec walked past me and headed for the closed door of Magnus's room. He stopped with his hand resting on the doorknob and looked at me over his shoulder. "Jace, you're welcome to come and go from the penthouse whenever you like, but I'd advise you to stay away if I'm not with you."

My insides went cold at what Alec was inferring. JC could possibly be trusted to behave around me if Alec was present, but my safety could not be guaranteed if JC and I were alone together. Though JC had told us he had no intention of wanting me dead, I had heard the emptiness behind his words. Alec was now taking sides with me instead of him. If that hadn't struck a nerve, I didn't know what else could. There was no doubt in my mind that, without Alec around, JC would be capable of anything, including taking my life.


	8. Divided

Magnus's room -- if it could still be classified as a room -- was huge. His room was bigger than my entire apartment. My jaw hung open as I stepped through the doorway and looked around in awe. As with the living room, one wall was completely made of glass, displaying the bright colors of New York night life outside. On one side of the room was an office, complete with a large mahogany desk, book shelves, a desktop printer, various other office supplies and three high tech flat screen computer monitors. On the opposite side was a makeshift lab. There was a long solid table, where a body-shaped lump covered by a white sheet was currently residing. Against the wall were rows upon rows of expensive-looking wooden cupboards. Finally, on the last side of the room was a black four poster bed with scarlet sheets and blankets. The lack of wrinkles in the upholstery suggested no one had slept there in some time, but I still felt warmth in my cheeks as my eyes automatically flitted over to Alec. He noticed the expression on my face, but only grinned and proceeded over to the lab table. I followed him, still drinking in the size and contents of the room.

"It's about time you two showed up."

I jumped at the sound of Magnus's voice. As Alec laughed at my unease, Magnus straightened from his crouch on the other side of the table. I hadn't been able to see the top of his head from the other side. The warlock straightened and set a folded piece of black material on the table and reached up to adjust his glasses. He kicked the door of the table cupboard shut with his foot.

"What took you so long?" he asked.

Alec cleared his throat. "We had a slight...altercation with our other tenant."

Magnus frowned. "Is everything all right?"

Alec avoided his question. "Did you find anything?"

The warlock's frown turned into a scowl, and when he looked at me I shifted my gaze. "Do I need to light someone's ass on fire?"

"I took care of it," Alec said heatedly. "Don't worry about it, Mags."

Magnus's expression softened at the sound of his nickname but he grumbled, "There is such a thing as having too much testosterone in a closed area. Just give me the word and I'll kick his ass out."

Alec smiled and asked again, "Did you find anything?"

Magnus crossed his arms and lifted his chin proudly. "I found something very interesting. Or rather, I _didn_ 't find something."

Alec and I shared a look of confusion. Magnus slipped out of his bloodstained jacket and tossed it aside before rolling up the sleeves of his black dress shirt. He grabbed the edge of the white sheet covering the body and rolled it back far enough to leave the upper half of the woman's body exposed. Magnus had removed her shirt but left her bra on. Her skin was startlingly pale in contrast to the hot pink material. Alec's eyes wandered over her chest and abdomen, searching for any strange marks, but I kept my eyes trained on her face, uncomfortable with her present state.

"I don't see anything," Alec objected.

Magnus reached over the table and mussed his boyfriend's hair. Alec made a cry of protest and slapped Magnus's hand away, attempting to fix his disheveled faux hawk.

"That's because I haven't shown you yet, Lexy."

Magnus snapped his fingers and all the lights in the room flicked off, drowning us in darkness. My breath hitched in my throat as I thought about the vampires that had ambushed us in the darkness. The warlock's soft voice pulled me out of my recollection as he whispered a flow of strange words. Suddenly a blue glow began to emanate from the woman's chest. The glow began to brighten and spread until a form began to take shape. When Magnus stopped chanting, Alec and I found ourselves staring down at a glowing handprint.

"What the hell is that?" Alec asked breathlessly.

"It's called a handprint, love."

Alec glared at the warlock. "I meant why couldn't we see it before? And what causes something like that?"

"I'm not sure." Magnus pointed down at the glowing mark. "But see where it's positioned? I want to cut her open and look at her heart."

"Don't sound so eager about it," I said sarcastically.

Magnus snapped his fingers and the lights flicked back on again, blinding me temporarily. When my vision returned, the warlock had inclined his head and was peering at me over the rims of his glasses.

"Do you want to catch this psychopath or not? It's not like she's alive and I'm cutting her open for kicks."

"I know that." My throat tightened under both Magnus's and Alec's scrutiny. "It's just... Respect, you know? Have a little respect for the dead."

Magnus raised an eyebrow and looked over at Alec. "Where'd you find, Mr. Superstitious?"

"Be nice," Alec scolded.

Magnus reached for the folded black material on the table and began to unfurl it. I caught the glimmer of light reflecting off the shiny surfaces of surgical tools. Magnus caught Alec and I staring and flicked his wrist in a shooing motion. "If respect is what you want, you two go stand over there and let the experienced coroner do his business in privacy. I'll have to remove the rest of her clothing so I can open her up."

With a shrug, Alec turned and sauntered across the room to the bed. He plopped down on the mattress and leaned up against one of the posters at the foot of the bed, his back to Magnus. I approached the opposite side, letting my fingers reach down to touch the softness of the scarlet covers. Alec patted the mattress, signalling for me to sit down, before clasping his hands behind his head. I hesitated before seating myself in a position similar to Alec's. Instead of clasping my hands behind my head, I rested them in my lap and fidgeted with my fingers.

"What's on your mind, Shadowhunter?"

Alec's eyes were closed, but when I looked over at him he peeked at me through one eye. When I shook my head Alec turned his face to glare at me and I folded.

"Sorry for causing tension between you and JC."

Alec snorted and moved his head back, closing his eyes again. "Don't be. He can be an ass, and so can I. He'll get over it. It's not like that was our first brawl."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah." Alec looked at me again. "We got into it once. JC got a few good swings in there, but Magnus ended up having to pull me off of him."

"Still, I'll bet JC's never wanted _you_ dead."

"Yeah. If he wanted me dead, he never would have stopped me from jumping off that roof."

My mouth dropped when it registered in my mind what I had said. "Oh, God, Alec. I'm sorry. I--"

The Shadowhunter waved his hand in dismissal. "Don't worry about it. It's the truth, after all."

I rubbed a hand over my face. _Change the subject, dumbass._ "So what's the next step from here?"

There was a blood-curdling crack that echoed through the room, and I tried not to think about the ribs that Magnus had just cracked open. Alec looked unbothered by the noise.

"Hopefully we can figure out what the handprint is all about. If we can narrow down what kind of thing is capable of doing this, we can--" Alec stopped suddenly and chewed his lip.

"We can what?" I prompted.

Alec's arms dropped to his sides and he angled his body towards me. "Don't freak out."

My eyes narrowed. "What?"

"We can go out and find informants. Get information from them."

I clenched a handful of the bedcover in my fist and lowered my voice. "Are you crazy? After what happened to you--"

Alec leaned across the bed and clamped his hand over my mouth. He glanced over his shoulder to see if Magnus had heard before pinning his eyes on me again. He shifted closer to me and removed his hand.

"That's not going to happen to either of us," he assured me. "We'll work as a team. I'll take care of the payments. You'll stand guard, and if anything goes wrong you'll kill the bastard."

"Alec, no."

He leaned in closer towards me, near enough that I could tell his eyebrow piercing matched the color of his eyes. "What happened to me won't happen again. I'll give those guys money, blood or anything else that isn't my body."

"I don't think--"

"Gentlemen."

Both of our heads snapped towards the warlock at the same time. I couldn't help but notice Magnus's narrowed eyes and the suspicious look on his face. It occurred to me how it might look from Magnus's point of view with Alec and I sitting beside each other on the bed, comfortable despite our close proximity. I scooted off the bed hurriedly and headed back towards the lab table with Alec in pursuit. Thankfully, the woman had been completely covered with the white sheet again.

Magnus studied me a moment longer than necessary before plastering a smile on his face and turning to Alec. "Want to see something interesting?"

"Give it to me," Alec said.

The warlock's grin widened. "Excellent choice of words. Check it out."

Magnus raised his arm and showed us the heart balanced on his fingertips. I wrinkled my nose when I saw he had not bothered to put on gloves before going wrist deep in a dead person's chest cavity, but as my eyes lifted upwards all I could focus on were the black scorch marks surrounding the muscle.

"By the Angel..." Alec said.

Magnus raised the finger of his free hand. "Ah, ah. It gets even better. See how the charring is widest here, but gradually gets thinner as you go around?" Magnus twisted his wrist to showcase his point. "Well, watch this." He placed the palm of his hand against the widest black mark and strategically wrapped his fingers around the heart. When he twisted his wrist to show us, his fingers had covered the scorch marks perfectly.

"So, let me get this straight," Alec began, thinking aloud, "This thing...whatever it is...somehow manages to get it's hand inside a person's chest, burn the heart and then pull its hand out, and only manages to leave an invisible handprint behind in the process?"

"Sounds about right," Magnus said. "Except for the 'burn the heart' thing."

"What's your theory?" I asked.

"Remember when you said you'd seen victims three times the size of this girl who'd died without a scratch on them, Alec? Well what if that's how this thing is killing them? I don't think it's burning the heart. I think it's physically taking the life from Shadowhunters."

Alec crooked his fingers at the warlock. "I'm gonna need a little more than that."

"Your heart keeps you alive, right? What if this thing grabs onto your heart and absorbs your life? Takes the life from you and consumes it. The marks aren't necessarily burns. They could be, but they might not. I've never heard of any demon that could do something like this."

Alec looked pointedly at me, as if this was a sign that we needed help from Downworlders, but I ignored him and asked Magnus, "Do you think you could look into it? Try to find some information?"

"I suppose I could try," he replied, his voice cool.

"Let's start tomorrow," Alec suggested. "We'll have a bite to eat, get some sleep and start with clear heads in the morning."

"Sounds good to me," I agreed.

Alec casually slung his arm across my shoulders and smiled across the table at Magnus. "Meet me in the living room after you've cleaned up?"

The warlock snapped his fingers and the heart disappeared from his hand, alongside all the bloodstains on his skin and clothes. He stepped around the table and up to Alec's other side. He slid his arm around Alec's waist and pulled the Shadowhunter against his hip, casting a not-so-subtle glare in my direction. Alec's arm slid off my shoulders.

"Already taken care of, love."

I followed the couple out of Magnus's room, where the three of us came to a halt in the space between the kitchen and the living room. I positioned myself at Alec's free side to see what was going on. It didn't surprise me to see JC leaning against one of the counters, his arms folded and his eyes watching us carefully. Even though I was with Magnus and Alec, I could still feel the temperature of my blood drop a couple degrees.

"I'll be the bigger man and apologize first," JC grumbled before anyone could speak up. "Jace, I'm sorry for the mean things I said about you, and for you almost dying. Alec, I'm sorry for kneeing you in the stomach, and for speaking out against your totalitarian regime."

"JC," Alec said, "I'm sorry you're such an asshole, and for punching you in the face."

JC nodded, accepting the apology. "All I want to do is catch the bastard that's murdering us. Since I can't do it alone, I'm willing to be nice and work as a team, Jace included."

"Really?" Alec questioned, his voice icy. "You sure I can trust you with that?"

"I think you can trust him," Magnus interjected.

Alec, JC and I turned to the warlock at the same time, caught off guard by his comment. He hadn't witnessed the scuffle between Alec and JC, nor had he heard that JC had almost let me bleed to death. Moments ago he'd said he was willing to throw JC out of the penthouse, but now he was openly saying we should trust him.

"Is that so?" Alec said, looking up at the warlock.

Magnus's yellow cat eyes fell on me and he pulled Alec tighter against him. "Yes. Three Shadowhunters are better than two, don't you think?"

I couldn't hear Alec's reply through the pounding of blood in my ears. I'd thought Magnus was my ally, but now the warlock was using JC as a wedge to shove between me and Alec. It was clear through his possessive actions and suspicious glances that Magnus thought there was something more between Alec and I than just friendship. Alec and I sitting so close together in Magnus's room must have struck a nerve. I wondered if he knew about the night Alec had almost kissed me.

When I looked up again, my stomach dropped to find JC staring at me. His dark eyes shifted from me over to Magnus, and back to me again. Clearly, he was not oblivious to what was going on. The Shadowhunter relaxed and leaned back farther against the counter, a malicious smile tugging at his lips. His dark eyes sparkled.

I took a step back and swallowed hard. For the second time in a matter of hours my sense of security had been ripped from me. The room seemed to shrink and suddenly it was hard to breathe. JC was still watching me with the same malevolent sneer. He hadn't said another word, but his expression screamed, "You've got your neck out and your throat exposed, Jace. And Magnus just handed me a knife."


	9. Protector

I groaned and rolled over onto my stomach, burying my face in the plush pillow. Everyone had gone to bed hours ago and the entire penthouse was swarmed in darkness, but sleep was eluding me. The bedroom furniture was comfortable enough, but my mind was too occupied dwelling on the unsettling events that had taken place during dinner.

It had been awkward at first with the four of us gathered in the living room. Everyone was more focused on chowing down on Chinese take-out than starting a conversation. The still-present tension between Alec and JC was evident. When JC finally summoned up the guts to ask Alec what we'd been looking at in Magnus's room, Alec answered him curtly. But the silver-haired Shadowhunter was unfazed; he pressed on, asking for every detail and even going so far as to crack a joke now and then. Gradually I began to see the tension in Alec's shoulders ebb, and the frigidity between the two slowly melted away.

I had stayed silent as Magnus joined in the conversation, uneager to draw unwanted attention to myself. Instead I picked at my noodles with my chopsticks, keeping my head down and fading into the background. I caught Alec glancing at me periodically in my peripherals, though the Shadowhunter never said anything to me. I didn't mind. But I also felt JC's cold eyes slither over to me from time to time, as well as Magnus's. I pretended not to notice and forced my body to appear relaxed.

 _You have every right to be here_ , I'd thought to myself. _Don't let them intimidate you. Alec's accepted you, but they haven't. Not yet. Until they do, keep your guard up. You are not beneath them. You're a Shadowhunter. Fight for acceptance. Fight back._

Not long after our meal Magnus had suggested we turn in early for the night. JC gave a shrug and wandered off to his room without a word. Alec instructed me to follow him to one of the guest bedrooms, but not before Magnus had his boyfriend pressed firmly against his side. I'd followed the two down the hallway, my eyes fixed on the way the warlock's fingers were curled possessively around Alec's hip instead of gently resting there. The message hadn't been lost on me. Magnus was being territorial, asserting his dominance like a true alpha male. I'd rolled my eyes while their backs will still turned.

The darkness in my room grew less intense as the night passed into the early hours of the morning. I'd been tempted to pull the window curtains open and let the city lights flood the room with their illumination, but I'd left them closed thinking they'd only keep me awake instead of comforting me. Evidently, it wouldn't have mattered if I'd opened them anyway.

Suddenly there was a soft clicking noise, so faint I barely heard it. My body stiffened and my hands automatically slid under my pillow out of habit. I cursed inwardly, realizing I hadn't brought the knife I always kept under my pillow. I kept my breathing even and my eyes closed as someone stepped into my room and closed the door behind them. My fingers clenched into fists as I waited for the familiar tingle to crawl up my spine, signalling an unwanted presence hovering over me.

The feeling never came. There was a soft noise, like someone sliding down a wall, and then silence. I remained motionless, my mind whirling and my heart racing.

_What the hell is this?_

Hours slowly ticked by. Though my eyes were closed, I still hadn't drifted off. My room was as quiet as it had been before someone had snuck in. The stranger still hadn't left, but neither did they move around. I became more and more unnerved as I contemplated the different possibilities: Alec keeping an eye on me because he didn't truly trust me; Magnus waiting for me to wake up so he could threaten me about staying away from Alec; JC watching me sleep with a knife poised in his hand, waiting to strike.

When the first hints of light began to filter through the curtains, I slowly lifted my head to glance over my shoulder. I blinked, confused, as I recognized the familiar features through the fading darkness.

Alec was sitting upright on the floor, his head back and his eyes closed, obviously asleep. I couldn't help but notice that his back was blocking the door.

* * *

 

After I splashed my face with cold water to sharpen my wakefulness, I trudged down the hallway to find Alec in the kitchen. He was leaning on the counter eating a bowl of cereal and reading a newspaper. He looked up, spoon halfway to his mouth, and caught me staring at him. He set his spoon back down in the bowl and grinned.

"Morning, sunshine. Sleep well?"

"Yeah," I said with a yawn.

"What are you even doing up this early?" Alec asked, reaching his arms up and stretching. "You look like you could still use a couple more hours of beauty sleep."

I wondered if Alec knew I'd been awake the entire night. He'd fallen asleep in my room, but he'd been careful to wake up before me...or so he thought. He'd quietly gotten up and left my room shortly after dawn. I waited long enough to make him think he hadn't disturbed my sleep, then crawled out of bed. Now he was giving no indication of making me aware of his intrusion. Even though I wanted to demand what he'd been doing last night, I decided to feign ignorance.

"Are you calling me ugly, Alec?"

The Shadowhunter gave an exaggerated flick of his head, tossing his mussed hair out of his eyes. "Not everyone is born with stunningly good looks."

Alec laughed as I flipped him the bird. The two of us turned as Magnus's bedroom door opened and the warlock stepped out, his hair as dishevelled as Alec's and his mouth stretched wide in a yawn. He slipped his glasses on and grinned when his gaze fell on his boyfriend, his eyes glittering lustily. Magnus closed the distance between him and Alec and snaked his arm around Alec's waist unabashedly.

"Morning, love," Magnus said, pressing his lips into Alec's hair.

Alec gave the warlock a devilish grin before shoving another spoonful of cereal into his mouth. Magnus grabbed the spoon out of Alec's hand and took a bite of his own, his eyes glancing down at the newspaper while he chewed. After he swallowed Magnus moved his hand up from Alec's waist to ruffle the Shadowhunter's hair.

"Where'd you go last night?" he asked. "I rolled over in bed and you weren't there."

Alec shrugged. "I was in Jace's room."

Magnus and I stiffened as one. My jaw fell open, caught off guard by Alec's bluntness. I hadn't expected him to admit it, especially in front of his boyfriend. I felt heat creeping into my cheeks as Magnus shot a glare in my direction.

"Is that so?" the warlock grumbled.

Desperate to take some of the heat off me, I gasped, "You were in my room?"

Alec looked at me, his blue eyes wide. I couldn't tell if he was surprised by the feigned consternation in my outburst or if he knew I'd been aware of his presence last night, and my pretending unawareness shocked him. Either way, he looked taken aback. Magnus cocked an eyebrow at me, his yellow eyes narrowed and untrusting.

Ignoring the self-loathing and guilt inside me, I growled, "What were you doing? Watching me sleep? That's creepy, Alec. Don't do it again."

I turned and stormed off down the hallway back to my room, but not before I caught sight of the surprise and guilt flooding Alec's eyes, or the pissed look on Magnus's face.

* * *

 

The club was packed with people dancing to the throbbing music. It was more upscale than the one I'd gone to with JC and Alec when we were hunting vampires, and the line outside extended all the way around the corner of the sidewalk. Alec and I had gained immediate access, much to the irritation of the other patrons waiting in line. We twisted our way through the throng of writhing bodies and directly over to the bar, where Alec passed a folded piece of paper to the bartender. The bartender, a blonde guy with a nose ring and neon green eyes, took one look at the note before disappearing down a long hallway across the club.

We waited patiently, leaning up against the bar and watching the mundanes and glamored Downworlders dance. I reached up and rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly. Alec and I hadn't spoken for most of the day. He'd come to my room to tell me to get ready to go out and I obliged, but neither of us had said a word to each other since. Magnus and JC were back at the penthouse doing some research and examining the deceased Shadowhunter's body again. It surprised me that Alec hadn't ask JC to accompany him and left me at the penthouse with Magnus.

The bartender suddenly appeared at our side again and motioned for us to follow him with a wave of his hand. He escorted us back down the hallway he'd passed through earlier. The music grew fainter behind us as we rounded a corner and passed endless closed doors. We finally came to a stop in front of a set of double doors and the bartender ushered us inside. He remained out in the hallway and closed the doors behind us, leaving us alone in a giant room with two levels.

It appeared to be some sort of office. There was a large desk with a closed laptop sitting atop the polished surface at the far end of the room. The walls were rather bland, painted black and void of any art, books or knick knacks. A large portion of the floor of the second level had been removed, leaving only a wide rectangular perimeter. The second level was engulfed in darkness, leaving only the railing bordering the missing center of the floor visible in the light from below.

I looked over at Alec, but he was trailing his eyes over the spiral staircase on his right. I fumbled for something to say, determined to break the silence between us. As if sensing my stare, Alec turned to me and held up his hand, stopping me before I could speak.

"I'm sorry if what I did made you uncomfortable," he said, his voice honest but flat.

"I didn't mean to freak out--"

"Just understand," Alec cut in, "that what I did was not out of some secret desire for you. All I was doing was making sure no one came into your room without permission."

"Isn't that a little ironic? I mean, you came in without permission."

Alec's lip twitched. "I just didn't want to give JC any opportunities. While I'd like to believe he'd never cause you harm, I can't trust that he wouldn't try to threaten you."

_Are you aware that that means you should be trying to keep Magnus out, too, Alec?_

"You were trying to protect me?" I clarified.

Alec grinned. "I sacrificed my gorgeous body to become a doorstopper for you."

"Glad to hear you weren't just watching me sleep. Thanks." I averted my eyes. "Sorry for freaking out. I didn't really mean it. It's just that Magnus--"

We turned as the double doors behind us swung open and a demon strode into the room, clad in an expensive suit much like one of Magnus's. The doors shut behind him and he looked down at Alec and I, his hands clasped behind his back. He was tall, with short blonde hair slicked back and piercing gray eyes. His skin was fair, the same color as my own pale skin, but it looked odd, raised slightly. I realized it was not skin at all, but scales.

"Alexander," the demon's low voice rumbled. "Long time, no see."

Alec ignored the look I gave him and said, "You got my invitation?"

The demon lifted his hand, the folded piece of paper wedged between his index and middle fingers. "I must say, Alexander. You caught me off guard. I didn't think I'd see you again after last time."

Alec's jaw tightened and I stepped closer to him. The demon's eyes flicked over to me and the corner of his lips tugged upwards into a smirk. "Who's your friend?" he asked.

"Do we have a deal or not?" Alec demanded. "We don't have time to make small talk."

The demon clucked his tongue and crossed his arms over his chest. "Feisty as ever, little Shadowhunter. How could I refuse your offer? I'm sure you'll find the information I have useful."

Alec gave a nod and stepped forward. The demon tossed the piece of paper aside and reached down to grab Alec's wrist. He stepped closer to Alec but stopped and glared at me. "What about him?"

"He stays," Alec said firmly. "Protection purposes. He's just here to make sure you uphold your part of the bargain."

"I'm insulted that you'd think I'd cheat you, Alexander. However, I have no problem if your little friend likes to watch." The demon winked at me. "Enjoy the show, Nephilim."

Slowly the demon pulled Alec's wrist up to his mouth. He opened his jaws to reveal sharpened teeth, all four canines slightly elongated. I flinched but kept my eyes trained on him as the demon sunk his teeth down into Alec's flesh. Alec winced and sucked in a breath, turning his head away. His eyes were closed and his muscles tensed, but he remained quiet.

I felt the weight of the seraph blade strapped between my shoulder blades under my shirt. There was a knife concealed in the waistband of my jeans and another one concealed in my boot. Alec also had a concealed dagger on him, but he made no move to reach for it. I counted slowly in my head as the demon sucked Alec's blood.

"That's enough," Alec finally said, pushing the heel of his hand between the demon's eyebrows.

The demon obliged and opened his jaws, allowing Alec to pull his wrist away. Alec covered his bleeding wrist with his hand and squeezed, trying to staunch the flow of blood. I looked at him and he nodded, silently assuring me he was okay. We watched the demon as he lapped at the blood around his lips with his tongue.

"Mmm. There's nothing quite as succulent as blood of the Nephilim," the demon drawled.

"Tell us what you know," I commanded, my voice steady.

The demon crossed the room to sit on the edge of his desk. He wiped a tiny smear of blood from the corner of his mouth with his thumb and licked it away. He crossed his ankles and interlaced his fingers, setting them in his lap. "What would you like to know?" he asked.

"Do you know what's been killing Shadowhunters?" Alec questioned.

"Yes."

We waited in silence for him to continue, but when he remained silent I prodded, "And...? What is it?"

The demon scratched his chin. "Well, I guess I'm not really sure what he is."

"What _he_ is," Alec repeated. "So whatever this thing is, it's male."

"Yes."

"Why is he killing Shadowhunters?"

"I don't know."

"Do you know how he's killing them?"

"No."

"I thought you said you had useful information," I growled.

"I do," the demon sneered. "You just haven't asked the right questions."

"Why can't you just tell us?" Alec hissed.

"I shouldn't be telling you _anything_ ," the demon said simply. "He'd have my head if he found out I was talking to you."

"What's his name?"

The demon looked at Alec with a devious smile. "He has many names."

"Can the cryptic crap!"

The demon stood and smoothed out the winkles in the front of his suit. "I'll elaborate, but it'll cost you."

"Absolutely not!" I took another step closer to Alec.

Alec put his hand on my shoulder. "No. It's okay, Jace."

Alec held out his wrist and the demon closed in on him, immediately clamping his jaws down on Alec's flesh again and sucking greedily. Alec clutched at the demon's elbow, his face contorted in pain, but he was not pushing the demon away. Not yet. I reached my hand closer to the knife sheathed at the small of my back.

Alec twisted his arm free of the demon's mouth and said, "Your turn."

A rivulet of blood trailed from the corner of the demon's mouth down to his chin. "How can one that has many forms have only one name?"

Alec groaned in frustration. "That's not good enough!"

"Give me another hit and I'll tell you one of his names."

"No." Alec took a step back from the demon, swaying slightly. "We've given more than we've received. I won't give you more blood until you tell us something useful."

The demon's lips curled into a snarl. "What's the matter, Alexander? You were so willing to satisfy my appetite last time."

Alec retreated another step and the demon lunged for him. I had barely pulled my knife from its sheath when a high pitched whistling noise cut through the air. The demon stopped in his tracks and Alec let out a gasp. We stared wide-eyed at the arrow lodged deep within the demon's skull, protruding from his eye socket. The demon teetered forward and crashed face first into the floor. The force of his fall pushed the arrowhead further out the back of his skull.

I grabbed Alec's elbow and pushed him behind me as we retreated towards the desk. The angle of the arrow suggested it had come from the upper level, but when my eyes scanned the next floor, all I could see was darkness. Switching my knife into my other hand, I reached back and unsheathed my seraph blade, waiting for an attack.

Suddenly a dark figure dropped from the railing of the upper level and landed in a crouch on the floor in front of us. The figure was hooded, making it impossible to make out a face. I stepped forward, my fingers clenched tightly around my weapons.

The intruder did not attack. Two hands reached up and pulled the hood back. The figure straightened and looked up. I lowered my weapons. Alec stepped up beside me, the dripping of his bleeding wrist faintly heard below us.

JC inclined his head, his bow held tightly in his hand.


	10. If At First You Don't Succeed

"You," JC snapped, pointing at Alec. "Sit your ass down over there."

Alec plopped himself down on JC's bed with a huff, cradling his left wrist in his lap. Blood soaked into the front of his jeans and the bottom of his black t-shirt. A thin sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead, but judging by the woozy look on his face I guessed it wasn't from the run back to the penthouse. His milky pallor was tinged with green, and the black eyeliner around his eyes drowned out the fading brightness of his blue irises.

Too anxious to sit, I stood with my back leaned against JC's closed bedroom door. My eyes scanned the walls as I chewed on my fingernail. JC's room was oddly bland, I noticed. There were no pictures or posters on the black walls, not even a single mounted weapon. Aside from the bed, the only piece of furniture in the room was a small dark-stained desk with a closed laptop sitting on the polished surface. Black seemed to be the main theme of the room, though I did see splashes of color on clothing as JC rummaged through his giant walk-in closet.

When he finally re-emerged, he was clutching a small vial in his hand. JC crossed the bedroom and crouched in front of Alec. He grabbed his partner's wrist and inspected the wounds.

"It looks infected," JC grumbled.

Alec tried to pull his wrist away. "It's not."

"You look like you're about to puke," JC argued. "Your skin is burning up, you're sweating and, if I'm not mistaken, you're getting the shakes. It's infected."

"That demon wasn't venomous."

"How do you know that?"

Alec's eyes darted over to me and the unspoken words hung between us, _Because that wasn't the first time he's bitten me._

"You don't know where his mouth has been," JC went on angrily. "Not only was letting him bite you dangerous, but it was stupid, disgusting and unsanitary."

"Yes, _mother_ ," Alec muttered.

JC's lips pressed into a thin line. Cursing under his breath he pulled the cork out of the vial and handed it to Alec. Alec held the clear vial in front of his eyes and gaped at the neon green liquid sloshing around inside.

"What is this? Toxic waste?"

"I asked Magnus to make it, in case of an emergency," JC said. "Drink up, sweet cheeks. It'll make you feel better."

Alec looked at me dubiously. "I'll give you twenty bucks to drink this for me."

I held up my hands. "No way, man. Choke down your own cough syrup."

Alec looked at the liquid again, his lip curled. "It has chunks in it. Why does it have chunks in it?"

"The fever is making you delirious," JC said sarcastically. "It's actually a milkshake."

"It looks like vomit."

"Oh, for crying out loud." JC rubbed his temple. "Drink it now, or so help me, Alexander, I will pour it down your throat myself."

Alec's lips tugged into a smile, pleased that he had managed to piss JC off. With an exaggerated sigh he put the vial to his lips and tilted his head back. The thick green liquid oozed from the vial and plopped into his mouth. Alec's face twisted into an expression somewhere between pain and nausea. He swallowed and wrapped both his arms around his middle.

I stepped forward. "What's wrong with him?"

"Give it a minute," JC answered.

Almost immediately after JC had spoken, the green color faded from Alec's face and he visibly relaxed. The brightness returned to his eyes as he sat up straight and sucked in a deep breath.

"Better?" JC asked.

Alec nodded. "Yeah. What was that stuff?"

"Antiviral. Anti-infective. Call it what you like. Thank Nurse Magnus."

JC got up and wandered into his walk-in closet again. When he came back out, he extended the small garbage can in his hand to Alec. Alec cocked an eyebrow and hesitantly took the item from him.

"What's this for?"

JC crouched in front of him again. "When it happens, you'll know."

Alec blinked and set the garbage can on the bed beside him before giving me a shrug. We watched in curiosity as JC began patting down the numerous zipper pockets of his gear. When his search came up empty, he uttered a curse and repeated the process.

"Are you...feeling yourself up?" Alec questioned.

JC glared up at him. "I see your twisted sense of humor is feeling better, too."

"Well, what the hell are you doing?"

JC reached out and pressed his hand against Alec's thigh. Without asking for permission, he slipped his hand into Alec's pocket and pulled it out again, Alec's stele clamped between his fingers. He waved it in front of Alec's face before grabbing Alec's wrist. I watched, transfixed, as JC began scrawling an iratze on Alec's skin with surprising tenderness. Alec winced under the rune's effect at first, but let out a relieved breath as the bite marks began to close. When he finished, JC stopped to admire his handiwork before sliding the stele back into Alec's pocket.

"You sit here and chill for a minute," he instructed, straightening. "I want to speak with Jace."

"JC, don't," Alec objected. "This wasn't his fault."

"I didn't say it was."

"The plan was mine and I made the decision to follow through with it," Alec went on. "Jace wanted nothing to do with it in the first place."

"I just want to speak with him privately for a minute."

"Anything you have to say to him can be said in front of me."

"We'll be right back," JC said, as if Alec hadn't spoken.

"I'm going with you."

JC walked up to my side and turned back to Alec. "I sincerely doubt that."

"Oh really?" Alec challenged, jumping to his feet.

"Really," JC said.

Alec's face suddenly turned green. He whipped around and snatched up the garbage can just in time to puke into it. He slowly sank to his knees as he emptied the contents of his stomach. JC silently motioned for me to follow him out into the hall while Alec dry heaved. I obliged and closed the bedroom door behind me as we left.

JC turned to face me, his arms crossed over his chest. His dark eyes studied my face, judging me. I returned his harsh stare, refusing to be intimidated in the slightest. If anyone should feel nervous, it was him. He'd left his bow and arrows in the bedroom. All my weapons were still attached to my body.

Before he could start, I pointed my thumb over my shoulder at the door. "Why is he throwing up _now_?"

JC shrugged one shoulder. "It's how the antidote works. It sucks the virus out of your system and takes it into the stomach. Once it's in the stomach, you puke it up. Presto. All better."

"I see."

"Why didn't you talk him out of it?" JC questioned after a moment.

"I tried. He's kind of stubborn, if you haven't noticed," I growled, not needing clarification as to what he was referring to.

"I don't want him slipping back into his old habits."

"Neither do I."

JC sighed and shook his head. "What are you doing here, Jace?"

I clenched my hands into fists, my blood bubbling. "I know you don't like me, JC. Hell, I'm not too fond of you either. But I'm Alec's friend. I have as much right to be here as you. We have a common goal, and as long as we're reaching for it, Alec can protect me and I'll do the same for him."

JC snorted. "You can't protect him, Jace."

Alec's loud retching drifted through the door as I hesitated. "What?"

"You've spent your entire life working alone. How can you protect anyone when you're _programmed_ to defend yourself first?" JC's dark eyes pierced me. "I saw you, Jace. That demon lunged at Alec and you hesitated."

"I--" The words died on my lips and I stared at JC, unsure of how to defend myself.

"The demon could have snapped Alec's neck by the time you pulled your knife out," JC continued. "It's a damn good thing I was there, don't you think? Alec and I know how to put the lives of others before our own. You don't. So what are you doing here?"

"I can learn," I said quietly.

JC nodded. "I'm sure you can, but I won't stand by and put Alec's life at risk while you do so." The Shadowhunter pushed by me and stopped with his hand resting on the bedroom doorknob. "By the way, I was instructed to tell you when I found you that Magnus wants to speak with you. Privately."

"Okay."

"Alec wouldn't want either of us to tell Magnus about this..."

"Okay."

Too hollow to say anything else, I started down the hallway. Doorways and walls passed beside me in a blur. Suddenly I was standing in front of Magnus's bedroom door, my hand raised. I couldn't remember if I had knocked or not. The door opened, answering my question, and Magnus peered down at me. He stepped to the side and invited me in with a sweep of his arm.

"I didn't hear you come in," he said, closing the door. "When did you and Alec get back?"

I wiped a hand over my face, suddenly exhausted and worn out. "Just a little while ago."

"Where's Alec?"

"With JC."

"He's back, too?"

"We met up with him," I lied.

The warlock studied me, his yellow eyes narrowing behind his glasses. Despite the emptiness and fatigue JC had left me with after our conversation, I could feel anger and annoyance rising inside of me again. I was tired of being criticized. I may have worked alone for most of my life, but I knew that being a part of a team was not supposed to leave you feeling cornered and unwanted.

"If you have something you want to say to me, just say it," I mumbled.

"What's going on between you and Alec?" Magnus demanded.

"Nothing," I spat.

"Oh, really?" Magnus said, unconvinced.

"Alec and I are friends. Nothing more."

"So that kiss on the rooftop was nothing?"

My eyes widened. "How do you know about that?"

"Why, Jace, is that guilt I see on your face? Did I catch you in your sordid act?"

"Did Alec tell you?"

"You're not denying it," Magnus said, ignoring my question.

I groaned in frustration. "There was a kiss, but, Magnus, I can assure you there is nothing between Alec and I. Now, how did you find out about it?"

"What do the two of you do when I'm not around, Jace?" Magnus snapped. "You and Alec have been sneaking off alone a lot lately. And the way you were sitting so close to each other the other night... Let's just say you're awfully comfortable with each other for only having met a few weeks ago."

I raised my hands, exasperated. "Sorry that we're trying to figure out who's murdering our kind, Magnus! We've been hunting, searching for answers. And you know what? Alec is a nice guy. Sorry if it's easy to feel comfortable around him. God, Magnus. Why are you so convinced that Alec would cheat on you?"

"I do not believe Alec would cheat on me," Magnus said. "Not by his own accord, anyway."

I gaped at the warlock and let out a hollow laugh. "So that's it. You think I forced myself on Alec. I tempted him into this _sordid act_ , right?"

Magnus stepped into my personal space and glared down at me, his cat eyes blazing. "I think you took advantage of him while he was hurting. You kissed him that night, and now you're trying to help him... _cope_...with his confused feelings."

"Bullshit!" I roughly shoved the warlock back. "Admit it, Magnus! You just can't accept the fact that your boyfriend kissed somebody else. You don't want to face the fact that Alec might be getting bored with you--"

A jolt of electricity shot through my body and I fell to floor, writhing in pain. I panted as the tremors resided, blinking furiously to try and clear my blurred vision. A hand grabbed the back of my shirt and yanked me to my feet. Magnus threw my back against the wall and pinned me there with his hand around my throat.

"Get your hands off me," I warned.

"Is there something going on between you and Alec?" he demanded.

"No."

Magnus squeezed my throat harder. "Is there something going on between you and Alec?"

"No!" I choked out.

Again, the warlock tightened his grip. "Is there something going on between you and Alec?"

When I mouthed the word no, Magnus squeezed my throat until my vision blackened around the edges. I slipped my hand between my back and the wall and grasped the handle of the knife sheathed there. Before he could sense what I was doing, I pulled the knife out and made a small slash in Magnus's forearm. He gasped and immediately released me. I pressed myself against the wall to stay on my feet and gripped the weapon tighter, sucking in deep breaths.

"There's nothing," I wheezed, "between me and Alec. I swear."

Magnus's face softened slightly. He watched me for a long moment, his one hand clutching the wound on his opposite arm. At last, he gave me the slightest nod. Relieved, I sheathed my knife and slid to the floor, letting my head fall back against the wall with a light thud. Our heavy breathing filled the silence between us.

"Magnus?"

"Yeah?"

I swallowed hard. "Who told you about the kiss?"

Magnus sighed. "JC."

I nodded, staring up at the ceiling. "Do you believe me when I say Alec kissed me?"

"Yes."

"And do you believe me when I say I'm straighter than a ruler?"

"I do now," Magnus said with a soft chuckle.

"So," I said quietly. "If I'd told you that _I_ kissed _Alec_ , or if you didn't believe me when I told you the truth...would you have killed me?"

There was a long pause before Magnus finally whispered, "Yes."

Despite the softness of Magnus's voice, the word rang in my ears. I glared up at the roof, my thoughts tumbling in my head. I considered the chances of JC knowing just how Magnus would react had I given the wrong answer. I bit the inside of my cheek. As far as I was concerned, JC had just made his first attempt to kill me.


	11. Nightmare

I strolled down the hallway, feeling refreshed after a long, hot shower. The penthouse was quiet as I made my way towards the living room, rubbing at my dripping hair with a towel. Two feet were visible dangling over the armrest of the sofa. When I looked around, I found no one else present in the room. I stepped closer to the sofa and bent over the back. Alec, lounging on his back and fiddling with his lighter, peered up at me.

He smirked. "What's up, McSteamy?"

"Where is everybody?" I asked.

"Magnus is out with a client and JC is probably holed up in a dark room with a girl somewhere."

I blinked, unsure if Alec was joking or not. "It's his night off, huh?"

"All he told me was that he was going out."

"Does he do that often?"

Alec gave the lighter a flick. "Sow his wild oats?"

"No. Just leave on a whim like that."

"What do I look like? A chaperone? He's a big boy. He can come and go as he pleases."

I swiped at my hair with the towel again. "It's pretty stupid for him to be wandering around alone. He might get murdered, and we'd have no idea."

"Aww. Look at you." Alec smirked and flipped the lighter shut. "Mother of the year."

I held up my index finger. "I didn't say I'd be upset if he got murdered. I just said we wouldn't know about it."

Alec sat up. "You really don't like him, huh?"

"I wouldn't actually push him in front of a moving bus, but I have thought about it."

Grinning, Alec said, "If that ain't love, I don't know what love is."

I looked pointedly at Alec's wrist. "How are you feeling?"

The Shadowhunter inspected the pale scars on his skin, then patted his stomach. "I feel great. A little hungry, but I look fantastic."

I whacked him on the head with the towel. "Bulimia is not beautiful. Curves are."

Alec reclined back against the sofa and clasped his hands behind his head. "If you say so. I prefer hard lines and solid muscle."

I straightened. "I'm going to raid your fridge. You want something?"

"Nah. I think I'll nab a quick catnap before Magnus gets back."

I gave a grunt in response and wandered into the kitchen, draping the towel across my shoulders. Tentatively I reached out and pulled open the fridge door. My worry for leaving fingerprints on the polished stainless steel surface was blown away by a gust of cool air. My eyes widened at the selection of food inside. It was like looking through the refrigerated aisle in a grocery store. Every food imaginable was stored in there. Everything looked expensive, exclusively brand name.

Even though Alec had given me permission, I still felt like I was stealing. Careful not to bump anything out of place, I grabbed a can of soda and a premade sandwich. The big screen TV was tempting, but, not wanting to disturb Alec's rest, I opted for sitting at the counter. I hopped up on one of the barstools and discarded my wet towel on the floor. The New York Times was folded up within arm's reach, so I grabbed it and scanned the front page as I unwrapped my sandwich. Using the plastic wrap as a makeshift plate, I chewed quietly on my food as I read. From the living room I could hear Alec's soft snoring.

I finished the last sip of my soda just as I flipped to the middle section. I was halfway down the page when a soft noise interrupted me. My ears strained against the silence as I glanced up. No one had entered the penthouse and nothing looked out of the ordinary. I waited a moment longer, wondering if maybe I had imagined it. Just as I gazed down at the newspaper again, I heard it again. My head automatically flicked over towards the living room. Alec's feet were no longer dangling over the edge of the sofa.

The stool made a soft squeak as I pushed it back and stood up. My steps were soft and cautious as I padded across the floor.

_Are you playing games with me, Alec?_

My fingers brushed lightly over the leather as I leaned over the back of the sofa. My brows pulled together when I saw Alec curled in the fetal position on his side, shivering. I looked around, hoping to spot a blanket laying around.

Alec murmured softly and my gaze snapped back down to him. The muscles in his arms bulged and he curled tighter into a ball. I reached out to touch him but stopped short when he suddenly cringed away from me.

"No," he whispered. "Don't."

"Alec?"

His eyes did not open, nor did he give any indication that my voice had reached him. He unwrapped one of his arms from around himself and pushed his palm against the sofa as if he was pushing someone away.

"Stop. Please," he whimpered.

Alec's voice was strained and filled with pain. He hadn't obtained any other injuries from our encounter with the demon at the club. I couldn't help but wonder what he was dreaming about.

"No!"

Alec's other hand shot out and pushed against the back of the sofa, trying to push away an unseen foe. The tremors in his body became more violent and he kicked out with his leg. His shin hit the leather with a loud smack and he instantly drew his leg up to tuck his knee against his body again.

"Get off of me!" Alec cried.

Suddenly Alec's body went rigid and he let out a sharp gasp. His body straightened and he dug his fingernails into the sofa's leather. His back arched and he cried out again as if someone had stabbed him.

"Stop! Please!"

I caught sight of the wetness on Alec's cheek. Tears. His body convulsed and he clawed at the sofa, his teeth gritted.

My eyes widened as Alec's distant words came back to me in a rush: " _Each name came at a price. I gave what I had to. Money, blood, my body... One of my informants took more than what I was willing to give... I don't remember much of it. The bastard drugged me or something. But I get flashes from time to time. The things he did..._ "

My hand shot out and clamped down on Alec's shoulder. I shook him roughly, shouting out his name. It took a moment, but finally Alec's eyes burst open and his body went still, his breathing erratic. He rolled onto his back and looked up at me, panic still alight in his blue eyes.

"Are you all right?" I asked slowly, as if speaking to a child.

He gave a shaky nod. "Just a nightmare."

"That one makes frequent visits, doesn't it?" I whispered.

Alec wiped at his cheeks with his fingers and looked away, his brows knitted. "Too frequently."

"Magnus doesn't know about what happened," I said carefully, treading lightly. "Has he seen this happen before?"

"He's seen it." Alec rubbed his arm, embarrassed. "He just holds me afterwards."

"Hasn't he ever asked you about it?"

"Once."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him not to ask me about it again." Alec reached under the collar of his shirt and clasped the heart pendant in his fist. "And he hasn't."

* * *

 

Alec and I weaved through the clogged traffic of pedestrians, twisting our bodies to avoid bumping shoulders with the mundanes. The blaring of car horns was the only conversation between us. We'd put the issue of what had happened last night behind us. Magnus had come home shortly after Alec's nightmare, and the two of them disappeared into Magnus's bedroom, not to be heard from until this morning. JC, as far as I knew, was still out roaming the city.

We stopped at the corner of the sidewalk and waited for the crossing signal. I felt the familiar tingle at the nape of my neck. Someone was still following us. Alec and I had noticed him a few streets back. Though he wore sunglasses and had his hood drawn, he was not trying to be inconspicuous. He made himself easily visible in the throng of people, and when I had first glanced over my shoulder at him he'd looked directly at me, like a challenge. We'd circled around blocks and even backtracked a couple times to see if we were wrong, but still he remained on our trail.

I told Alec to head for my apartment building. The basement was deserted and easily accessible, the perfect place for a confrontation. As we turned into my building's entrance, I became more aware of the weapons strapped to my body. We'd intended on hunting today, not _being_ hunted, which made me all the more grateful to be armed.

I took the lead as we trod down the staircase to the basement. Faintly I heard the entrance door open again. He, whoever he was, was still following us. Alec and I passed through the basement door and crossed the dark room to the middle of the floor, where we both turned and reached for our weapons. A light overhead buzzed and flickered occasionally. I swept the room once with my eyes to make sure it was vacant.

The door finally swung open and the man strode in, seemingly unsurprised to see us waiting for him. He approached us, his stride confident, before stopping just a few feet away.

He was taller than both Alec and I, and broad shouldered. Even under his jacket I could tell that his muscles were well-defined. The man reached up and pulled back his hood, revealing short, unkempt blonde hair. He did not remove his sunglasses despite the dimness of the room. He gave an exaggerated tug at his collar and my eyes caught the sharp lines of a black tattoo. A rune.

"You're a Shadowhunter," I said, surprised.

"I thought you'd sense the presence of another Nephilim," the man said, his voice impossibly deep.

"We're more used to being stalked by Downworlders," Alec responded.

The man turned to Alec and his lip curled. "You speak of them as though they are beneath you."

Alec bristled. "They _are_ beneath us."

"The Nephilim may be above them, yes," the man growled. "But _you_ are not."

I tightened my grip around the seraph blade in my hand and Alec drew himself up taller.

"What, exactly, are you inferring?" Alec asked, his voice venomous.

The man pointed at me with one hand while drawing his own seraph blade with the other.

"My quarrel is not with you," he said to me. "Leave, Shadowhunter, so I can send this abomination back to hell."

I stepped closer to Alec. "I will not allow you to harm another Shadowhunter."

"That _thing_ is not worthy of Raziel's blood," the man hissed.

"Your face isn't worthy of those sunglasses," Alec stated matter-of-factly.

"What quarrel do you have with him?" I questioned the man.

"I witnessed him slay one of our brothers," he spat.

Alec and I looked at each other. His confused expression mirrored my own. The accusation was ludicrous. Alec was a skilled and lethal hunter, but he had no motive to murder another Shadowhunter. And aside from the short amount of time that we'd had no contact, I'd been with Alec almost constantly. He hadn't been homicidal towards any Nephilim on my watch. His alibi was solid.

"That's impossible," I said. "He's been with me."

"I tracked him for a few days after the murder, but then I lost him. When he turned up under my radar again, I thought he'd found his new victim. This is the first time I've ever seen you, kid."

My heart was pounding in my chest. If this was the first time he'd seen me, that placed the murder either during the days Alec and I had spent apart or before we had even met. I couldn't account for Alec's whereabouts during those times.

I looked over at Alec again. He was glaring at the man, but something about Alec's expression troubled me. He looked too... _calm_. He no longer looked confused, nor did he seem apprehensive or defensive at the accusation.

_It's not true,_ I told myself. _Alec would never commit such a crime. It's impossible._

"It doesn't look like you're willing to let me try to change your mind," Alec spat.

The man's lips tugged into a sneer. "I recognize your face. I saw it as clearly that night as I'm seeing it right now."

"It's dark in here, dipshit. And you've got sunglasses on. You're mistaken."

"I've dreamed about bringing you to justice. A life for a life." The man twirled his seraph blade. "Although, who knows how many Shadowhunters you've actually murdered."

"If you raise your weapon I _will_ kill you," Alec warned.

The man smiled. "Eager to add one more to your slaughter count. It ends here."

Alec leapt forward faster than I could blink. The man easily parried Alec's blow and retaliated with a swing of his own. Alec dove forward and tucked into a roll. When he straightened, he swung his blade at the man's back. The Shadowhunter dropped to the floor and rolled out of the way, just as Alec had. When he stood up he unsheathed a small knife and launched it at Alec. The knife whistled through the air and clanged against the wall as Alec twisted out of its path.

I darted forward as the two charged at each other again. Alec managed to slash open a cut on the man's thigh. The Shadowhunter hissed and kicked out with his foot, swiping Alec's legs out from underneath him. Alec crashed against the floor on his side as the man raised his blade over his head.

I threw myself in front of Alec and blocked the man's weapon with my own. The force of the blow sent shock waves through my arms. Our blades still pushing against each other, I kicked out with my leg and my boot collided with the man's stomach, forcing him back. He unsheathed another throwing knife and hurled it at me. I dodged it a second too late; a sharp stinging sensation blossomed in my right cheek.

There was a blur of movement and the man let out a loud grunt as he collapsed onto his back. Alec was on top of him, punching him repeatedly in the side of the head. The man yelled in fury and landed a well-aimed blow at Alec's stomach. Alec doubled over and the man rolled to pin Alec beneath him. He yanked a dagger from his weapons belt and hovered the blade over Alec's heart.

I scrambled forward and grappled the man from behind. I hooked my arms over his biceps and pulled until his hands were locked behind his back. He thrashed against my hold and I struggled to keep my grip on him. I tried to pull him off Alec but he was too heavy.

The air suddenly expelled from the man's lungs in a whoosh and he went rigid against me. I froze, caught off guard. The man's chin dropped against his chest. I followed his gaze and my eyes widened to see a seraph blade protruding from his chest. Alec's hand was still gripping the hilt, his face a mask of fury. He uncurled his fingers and fell back against the floor. The man slumped against me, his discarded seraph blade embedded in his flesh. I let his body topple to the ground and stared down at him, my jaw hanging open.

_We killed a Shadowhunter,_ a voice in my mind screamed.

_It was self defense_ , said another.

_We killed a Shadowhunter._

_He would have killed Alec._

_We killed a Shadowhunter._

My gaze drifted over to Alec, who was pushing himself into a sitting position again. He ran his fingers through his hair and shot the man's body a look of contempt. With a sigh, he moved his eyes up to me.

"We've got a problem," he said.


	12. The Messenger

Silence swarmed the air between Alec and I as we stared at each other. My eyes flicked down to the dead Shadowhunter at my feet, and, very slowly, I crouched down and pulled the seraph blade free of his body. I watched thick droplets of dark blood drip from the blade before glancing back down at Alec.

The other Shadowhunter watched me carefully, his blue eyes critical. As he pushed himself to his feet, he raised his hands in surrender.

"Take it easy, Jace," he said slowly.

Before he could utter another word, I was crossing the room to pick up the discarded throwing knives and seraph blades. I tucked the knives into my own weapons belt and kept two of the seraph blades, but I handed the third to Alec. He took it hesitantly, as if it surprised him that I was giving it back.

"Jace," Alec began, "I didn't kill anybody--"

"Shut up and help me."

After sheathing my weapons, I bent down and grasped one of the deceased Shadowhunter's arms. I draped it across my shoulders and straightened my knees. The man was heavy and I wobbled slightly as his body slumped against me.

Alec remained where he was and asked, "You don't believe him, do you?"

"Seriously, Alec," I snapped. "Shut the hell up and help me."

Alec looked taken aback by the sharpness of my tone, but he stepped forward and draped the man's other arm around his shoulders. I let out a breath as my muscles relaxed from the eased strain. Without a word, I turned us around and headed towards the basement door. I opened it enough to peer through and check for witnesses before pushing our way through. We climbed the stairwell as quietly as possible, our eyes darting around wildly to check for the opening of any other doors.

When we reached my apartment, I opened the unlocked door and rushed inside. Alec gave me a quizzical look as he kicked the door shut behind him.

"You don't lock your doors?"

I met his gaze. "There's nothing in here worth stealing."

With my directions, Alec steered us down the hallway and into the bathroom where we deposited the body in the bathtub. The two of us stared down at the man, panting slightly. Alec looked at me and opened his mouth to say something, but I snatched the navy towel off the towel rack and stormed out of the bathroom, wiping angrily at the blood on my hands. I could hear Alec's heavy footsteps follow me.

"Are we going to talk about this?" he questioned.

"Talk about what?"

Alec stopped and I turned to face him.

"There's a dead guy in your bathtub," Alec said, incredulous at my behavior. "And that dead guy made some pretty ludicrous accusations about me."

"I don't want to talk about it," I growled.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know what the hell to think!"

Alec's blue eyes narrowed. "Do you honestly believe I'm the one murdering Shadowhunters?"

"I. Don't. Know."

He watched me silently as I threw the towel down on the floor and slid it around with my foot, wiping up the light trail of blood. When I finished I kicked the towel across the floor and, feeling Alec's eyes on my back, turned to glare at him.

"I don't want to believe it was you, but..."

"But what?" Alec prompted.

"I have no idea what you were doing before we met, nor during the time we were apart." I set my hand on the hilt of my seraph blade absentmindedly. "Not to mention you seemed a little too calm while he was accusing you of murder, and you didn't seem too hesitant on sticking a blade through his chest."

Alec's jaw tightened. "First off, it's none of your business what I do in my own time, Jace. Secondly, I'm trying damn hard to remain calm despite the fact that there is a homicidal psychopath wandering the city wearing _my_ face. Freaking out about that isn't really the best course of action, is it? And third, do you honestly believe that guy would have let me walk out of the basement alive? His intent was to kill me. I acted in self defense. I had no choice."

"I want to believe you, Alec. I do. But I need you to help me. Right now there are too many things that don't add up, too many conveniences."

Alec threw his hands into the air. "What, exactly, about this is convenient?"

"How _convenient_ that it's none of my business what you were doing when we weren't together!" I shot back. "How _convenient_ that there is somebody else in New York that looks exactly like you. How _convenient_ that you couldn't just wound Bathtub Eddie, you had to _kill_ him."

"Oh, for the love of God. You sound like a jealous boyfriend!" Alec snapped. "You want to know what I was doing? Fine! Before we met I was busy hunting down the vampires that murdered my family. I was also selling my body to demons for information and, in case you've forgotten, I was also busy getting molested and having nightmares about it every night. Other than that I was focusing on trying not to off myself, alongside hunting with JC and spending time with Magnus.

"During our 'separation'-" Alec air quoted the word, "-I was trying not to think about you. JC and I did some more hunting, and Magnus and I probably screwed a couple of times. Then I finally convinced myself I didn't have feelings for you, so I bothered to drop by your apartment and happened to save your life. Is that good enough for you, Jace?"

I turned away and rubbed my temples with my fingers, the overload of information creating a surge of pain in my head. Alec waited patiently for me to reply but before I could, there was a loud knock at the door. My heart skipped a beat.

"You expecting company?" Alec asked.

"No."

Alec moved towards the door cautiously. Just as his hand reached out for the doorknob, the door burst open and a tall figure rushed inside. Alec didn't even have time to unsheathe a weapon before he was picked up and thrown across the apartment by an invisible force. His body slammed against a far wall. I heard his head crack against the wall and watched wide-eyed as Alec ricocheted onto the floor where he remained facedown and unmoving.

My head snapped towards the intruder. He was tall with an average build. His short hair and casual clothes gave the impression of a normal mundane, but his glowing red eyes said otherwise. He had no pupils or irises, just solid scarlet pits of fire.

Just as I thought to reach down for the seraph blades in my weapons belt, the intruder flung both his hands outwards and the blades ripped from my belt and shot across the apartment in opposite directions. Before I could even react, the warlock crossed the floor and had his hand wrapped around my throat. He pushed my back against the wall and tightened his hold.

Choking, I glanced over at Alec. He was still unconscious on the floor, unable to come to my aide. Desperate, I lashed out with my legs. My boots hitting the warlock's shins seemed to have no effect. He began lifting me by my throat until my feet left the floor.

The warlock smirked and said, his voice gruff, "My friend doesn't like it when you Shadowhunters stick your noses in his business. He sends his apologies; he wanted to be the one wrapping his hands around your throat today."

My lips curved into a smile right before my ankle caught the warlock in the groin. The area was unprotected, just as I thought, and he immediately released me. I fell to my knees as he curled over in pain and I crawled over to Alec. When I shook his shoulder his body moved limply and not a sound escaped him.

Something suddenly latched around my ankle and dragged me across the floor. I rolled myself over and pushed my palms into the floor, trying to slow myself. The warlock glared down at me, his eyes more fiery than before. His arm still extended, he flicked his wrist upwards and I lifted from the floor and crashed into the roof. I'd barely made contact when my back slammed back down on the ground, knocking the wind out of me. I curled into a ball, barely aware of the footsteps coming towards me.

The warlock grabbed a fistful of my hair and forced me to look at him.

"He told me you were a little shit," he hissed.

My hand inched down towards my weapons belt, undetected, and my fingers touched the handle of one of the throwing knives. "You don't know the half of it," I wheezed. My hand moved faster than my own eyes could see. The warlock was suddenly screaming and cursing. His hand released my hair to curl against his own face. Black blood spurted around the knife embedded in his eye. The warlock's distress made the walls tremble and the lights flicker on and off.

Before it was too late, I scrambled across the apartment and snatched up one of the fallen seraph blades. I raced back towards the warlock, my weapon raised. He heard my approach and raised his free hand to defend himself, but not before my blade sliced clean through his neck. All at once, the screaming and chaos stopped. The apartment returned to normal and the warlock's body slumped to the floor, his head rolling away before coming to a stop.

The seraph blade clanged loudly as I dropped it. I returned to Alec's side and gently rolled him over. His head lolled to the side, but I could hear him breathing faintly.

"Alec," I called, shaking his shoulders.

The Shadowhunter moaned and he slowly blinked his eyes open. His gaze was unfocused and he only looked up at me briefly before the blue pupils rolled into the back of his head and his eyelids closed once again.

Unsure of what to do, I found myself looking over at the warlock's body. My head tilted as I wondered who had sent him and how he'd found us. Curious, I crawled over to him and rolled the headless body onto its back. My hands shuddered as I searched his pockets. The warlock could have killed us, but it still felt wrong to be rummaging through his personal belongings. Aside from some cash and strange coins, my search came up empty. As an afterthought, I lifted one side of his leather jacket and found a chest pocket. I slipped my hand inside and grabbed the thick papers hidden within.

The papers were blank and white, but when I flipped them over my heart hammered against my chest. Unable to control the shaking of my hands, I set the papers in a row on the floor and stared down at them.

They were not papers at all; they were pictures. Three of them. On the left was Alec, his head turned and eyes serious but not looking into the camera. In the middle was a picture of me, my gaze directed towards the ground. And on the right was a snapshot of JC, turned away with a slight smile curving his lips, but, like the rest of us, unaware of being photographed.

My breathing came in short bursts. I'd seen enough movies and television shows to know what hit lists were, but I'd never actually seen one. Now I was face to face with a real hit list, and my own face was on it.

"Well, shit."


	13. Condolences

My eyes skimmed over the photographs fanned in my hand for the hundredth time. I imagined giant red Xs, drawn in blood, crossing out Alec's face and my own. Had the intrusion played out differently, the warlock would have crossed us off his list and set out to kill JC.

The photos crinkled as I curled my fingers. The three of us were skilled Shadowhunters; yet, somehow, we'd been stalked without knowing it. I'd worked alone for most of my life; my senses were attuned to detecting enemies on my trail. How had all three of us unknowingly fallen under our enemy's watchful eyes? And how long had we been spied on?

The mental checklist flashed inside my head again. I'd locked the door and made sure all the windows in my apartment were tightly sealed and locked as well. I still had no idea who - or what - we were dealing with, and I reckoned something as feeble as a lock would stand in the way of this foe, but those barriers gave me some reassurance.

Alec groaned and shifted on the bed, switching off my thoughts and drawing all my attention to him. I straightened my posture and watched him from my spot on the floor. He moaned and slowly sat up, his hand rubbing gingerly at the back of his head. He blinked and looked around, confused until he spotted me.

"Jace?" His voice was hoarse. "What happened?"

I stayed silent, giving him a minute to collect his memories. Alec's blue eyes wandered my small bedroom. When he turned back to me, he cocked his head to the side.

"Did you get me drunk?"

I grinned and leaned my head back against the wall. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Me getting you drunk and bringing you back to my bed."

Alec smirked and reclined to prop himself up on his elbow. "I wouldn't complain."

"Long story short, there's one dead guy in my bathtub and another dead guy in the entryway."

Alec's eyebrows lifted, impressed. "Must have been one hell of a party."

"You're telling me." I extended the photographs towards him. "Found these on our warlock friend."

He took them and looked at each one intensely, his jaw tightening. Again, I waited patiently for him to say something. Finally he sat up and dropped the pictures in his lap.

"There isn't a picture of Magnus," he said.

I couldn't tell by his tone if he was relieved or suspicious. I shook my head and replied, "Not that I could find."

Alec nodded. "Just you, me and JC."

"So what do we do?"

Alec looked down at me, his eyebrows knitted together.

"Should we lay low for a while?" I asked. "Regroup at your apartment, come up with a plan?"

"I have a plan," Alec grunted, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "Kill the son of a bitch before he kills us."

* * *

 

Alec and I stood in silence as the elevator flew upwards with a quiet hum. The two of us hadn't exchanged many words after we'd left my apartment. We'd travelled to Magnus's briskly and well-armed. Nothing had happened on the way over, but we'd constantly glanced back over our shoulders until we had safely set foot inside the building.

"Jace," Alec said suddenly.

I turned to look at my friend, slightly alarmed by the urgency in his voice.

Eyes still on the elevator door, he continued, "Don't tell Magnus what happened to me. If he finds out I got hurt he'll never let me leave the apartment again."

"When you tell him there's a murderer stalking you he won't let you leave anyway." I paused. "You _are_ going to tell him there's a murderer stalking you, aren't you?"

The elevator came to a halt and the door slid open. Alec stepped out first and whirled around to face me.

"Just let me handle all the talking."

With a nod, I followed Alec across the boarded walkway. The colors flashing underwater alternated between green and purple. Music blaring from inside the penthouse got louder and louder as we neared the end of the walkway. When we rounded the corner, I bumped into Alec when he came to a sudden stop. I stepped beside him and followed his gaze across the floor to the kitchen. My jaw dropped.

The lights around the penthouse were dimmed, except for the ones in the kitchen. While the music roared, JC was chopping vegetables as his head bobbed up and down and his shoulders bounced to the rhythm. Magnus was gliding from cupboard to cupboard, pulling out random dishes as he twirled and swung his hips.

The scene had caught me off guard. I'd never seen people dance like this outside of a club setting. I'd never even seen my parents act like this, and I certainly wasn't one for dancing. When I looked at Alec, I was shocked to see a wide smile plastered on his face. There was not an ounce of surprise or embarrassment in his expression. His eyes sparkled and he looked...elated. Any evidence of what had just befallen us at my apartment was instantly erased.

Too caught up in the music, Magnus and JC had still not noticed our return. They continued moving and twisting under the hypnotic beat, mouthing the words to the song. Alec stepped forward excitedly and reached his hand out to me, jerking his head towards his roommates. When I remained frozen, staring at him in horror, he gave a shrug and jogged towards the kitchen.

Magnus and JC looked up at the same time and threw their arms into the air, grinning widely, as Alec joined them. Magnus set a glass bowl on the counter and reached out to snatch Alec's hand. He twirled Alec in a circle. Alec threw his head back and laughed as Magnus bumped his hip against his own. JC whooped and whistled enthusiastically as he joined the pair on the makeshift dance floor, vegetables and knife forgotten on the counter.

I stepped farther into the penthouse, still aghast. This behavior was overwhelming to me. I was perplexed to see how three friends could forget the world and lose themselves in a combination of movement and music. They'd put aside all their differences, banished their fears, forsaken the dangers of everything outside the moment. Nothing else existed. There was only them. Three friends having fun. A family.

Alec and JC were now facing off against each other, executing complicated dance moves laced with the grace and fluidity of Shadowhunter combat skills. Sparks shot out of Magnus's fingers as he turned up the volume of the music and made the kitchen lights flash. The two Shadowhunters backed into opposite corners of the kitchen and charged at each other. They leapt into the air at the same time and kicked out with their feet as they tumbled over backwards. The sound of their shoes connecting could not be heard over the music. Magnus whooped as the two back flipped and landed in synchronization back in their corners. The warlock grabbed Alec's hand again and twirled him until he was standing in between Magnus and JC. Magnus pulled Alec against his body and moved his hips enticingly. Alec copied the warlock's movements as JC slid up behind him. JC pressed his chest against Alec's back, and though he did not move seductively, he still ground his hips from side to side.

I remained rooted in place. My cheeks felt warm, and I was glad that the lights were dimmed around me. Alec and Magnus's dancing had become intimate, but that did not seem to faze JC in the slightest. He moved with confidence. His hands were not touching Alec like Magnus's were, but there was still something possessive about the way JC moved against Alec.

The music began to decrescendo, signalling the end of the song. JC stepped away from Alec's back and did a final twirl before returning to his chopping. Magnus pulled Alec in for a steamy kiss, still holding the Shadowhunter close. Still slightly embarrassed but less flushed, I moved forward timidly. JC heard my approach in the music's absence. He smiled, but it did not touch his eyes. Without a word he moved his gaze back down to the vegetables. When Magus and Alec finally pulled apart, the warlock acknowledged me with a smile and an inclination of his head.

"Welcome back! We missed you," he said, more to Alec than to me.

Alec pressed another quick kiss against Magnus's lips and answered, "The feeling is mutual."

Magnus pushed his fingers through Alec's unkempt hair. "Where have you been?"

Alec winced when the warlock's fingers brushed the back of his head and Magnus immediately pulled his hand back, blinking with concern. Alec shot me a quick look before locking gazes with his boyfriend again. Magnus looked over at me, searching my face for answers. In the silence, JC ceased his chopping and switched his focus to Alec. Magnus gently brushed his fingers over Alec's head, his cat eyes widening as he no doubt located the lump there.

"What the hell happened?" he demanded.

"We have a slight problem," Alec said quietly.

" _Slight_ problem? There's a big ass lump on the back of your head! You might have a concussion!" Magnus fussed. "Quick! How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Oh yes. He's well enough to be doing back flips but he's unable to count," JC snorted. "Warlock logic. Back off and give him some air, Magnus."

Alec pushed Magnus's hand away. "I'm fine. Thanks to Jace."

"Who did this to you?" Magnus questioned.

"A warlock," Alec responded. "He knocked me out before I could even pull a weapon."

"A warlock?" Magnus echoed. "What did he want with you?"

"To kill us." Alec pulled the folded photos from his pocket and handed them to Magnus. "He would have went after JC next."

Upon hearing his name, the other Shadowhunter stepped up to Magnus's side to look at the photos. JC's jaw tightened when he confirmed his own face in the photo. He ran his fingers through his hair before crossing his arms.

"Who sent him?" he asked.

When Alec remained silent, I answered, "He didn't say. What he said was, 'My friend doesn't like it when you Shadowhunters stick your noses in his business.'"

"'My friend'? Well that gives us a lot to go on," JC grumbled. "Who the hell could his 'friend' be?"

"Probably the same guy Bathtub Eddie was talking about." I bit down on my lip, cursing myself for letting the words slip.

JC cocked an eyebrow. "Bathtub Eddie?"

Alec waved his hand dismissively. "He's the other dead guy in Jace's apartment. Not important. Let's focus, people."

Magnus's eyes were wide. "There is so much crazy shit happening right. I'm beyond confused."

"Forget Bathtub Eddie for a minute. Somebody sent a warlock to kill us," Alec cut in. "We need to figure out who sent him."

"I'll bet your ass that warlock had Downworlder connections," JC thought aloud. "If we can find one of them, we'll make him talk. Find out who this guy is and put an end to his serial killing spree."

"And how are we supposed to find these Downworlders?" I inquired. "Put up an add on Craigslist? 'Seeking demons associated with warlock. Warlock is now dead and we have questions regarding the identification of a certain homicidal maniac. Swift execution or best offer. Torture on arrival.'"

JC rolled his eyes at me and Alec dipped his chin to try and hide his smile.

"What did the warlock look like?" Magnus asked. "I probably knew him."

I scratched my head. "I don't know. Normal-looking with red eyes?"

My statement was more so a question. Magnus shook his head and tapped his chin. My description was not much to go on, but I wondered how many normal-looking, red-eyed warlocks there were in New York. Alec pulled out his cell phone and passed it to his boyfriend. Magnus took one look at the screen before shooting Alec a look.

"You took a picture?"

"What?" Alec looked up at Magnus innocently.

"This is a picture of a decapitated warlock!"

"No, that's a picture of a decapitated warlock's head. His body is the next picture over."

Magnus shook his head. "Sometimes I worry about you, Alexander."

The three of us Shadowhunters waited while the warlock studied the picture, adjusting his glasses as he did so. He flipped between the pictures Alec had taken, barely blinking. Finally he handed the phone back to Alec and removed his glasses to rub his eyes.

"Did you know him?" Alec asked.

"Yes."

"And?"

Magnus shifted his gaze between me and Alec. "And you're very lucky to be alive."

"What do you mean?"

"I've done business with that warlock before," Magnus said, his voice low. "He is... _was_...very powerful. There was only room in his black heart for money and the torturing of others. It surprises me that he was taking orders from someone. That warlock was lethal."

JC looked at me and said coolly, "And _you_ killed him? You must have gotten lucky."

"Do you know any Downworlders that were in contact with him?" Alec asked Magnus.

"I do," Magnus replied instantly. "A demon. Squeamish fellow. He was the warlock's henchman."

"You mean the warlock's bitch?" JC commented.

"Call him what you like." Magnus slipped his glasses back on. "I guarantee the moment you corner him, he'll spill everything he knows."

"Good." JC picked up his knife and twirled it in his hand with a smile. "Then let's go give him our condolences."


	14. Chase

Alec took another long drag of his cigarette and tilted his head back to release a puff of smoke. I was watching the Shadowhunter with a disapproving look while JC paced restlessly on the curb. JC's dark eyes scoured the streets, narrowed to compliment the scowl on his face.

"We've been looking for this guy for hours," I muttered, casting my eyes skyward at the gray clouds. "Remind me again why we didn't just get Magnus to summon him."

"Where's the fun in summoning him?" JC answered. "Don't you enjoy the thrill of the chase?"

Wisps of smoke spiraled around Alec's hair. "If what Magnus said is true, the minute we start chasing this guy, he'll panic and lead us straight to where we need to go."

"Cowards make the job so easy," JC said with a wink.

Alec snorted and dropped his cigarette butt to the ground before crushing it with the toe of his boot. Seemingly oblivious to my watchful eyes, he reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved another. He placed the cigarette between his lips and flicked his lighter open, cupping his palm around the end of the rolled paper to shield the flame.

"It's ironic, isn't it?"

Alec's blue eyes flitted up to meet mine. He paused before lighting up. Cocking an eyebrow, he let the flame die and lowered the lighter.

"What?" he queried around the cigarette.

"You only spent half the day trying to convince Magnus that he didn't need to come with us. Right before we left you told him that you'd be fine, that you wouldn't get hurt; yet, here you are. Slowly killing yourself on the inside."

"Oh, dear God," Alec grumbled. "Like Magnus doesn't lecture me enough, but now I have to hear it from you, too?"

I shrugged. "I'm just saying. I'm not about to be labelled an enabler for your filthy habit."

"Take it easy, _Mom_ ," JC scoffed. "Alec's a big boy. He can do what he wants."

Alec plucked the cigarette from his lips and pinched it between his thumb and index finger, holding it up like it was a precious artifact.

"This is keeping me calm at the moment," he explained. "This steadies my nerves. I convinced my boyfriend to stay back at the apartment. Now all I can think about is that he isn't here by my side. He's alone...unprotected..."

"This bastard isn't after Magnus," JC reasoned. "He wasn't on the list."

"Not yet," Alec countered. "Who's to say he won't become a target?"

"Magnus can take care of hims--" JC's voice cut short when something caught his eye.

I stepped forward. "What's wrong?"

JC's eyes remained on their target. "Didn't Magnus say we were looking for a guy with dreads?"

Alec and I followed his line of vision. Sure enough, skulking by a tree in front of the high school across the street was a short young man. He had long dreadlocks, which were pulled back into a ponytail, and his movements were twitchy. He walked stooped forward, caving in on himself as if he was continuously expecting someone to jump him from behind. We watched as the demon approached a small cluster of high school students. The mundanes did not appear to be frightened by him; in fact, a couple of boys gave him a clap on the back as he joined their conversation.

Alec flicked his unlit cigarette to the ground and stepped off the curb. "What the hell is this guy doing?"

The demon reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out something small. He dangled what appeared to be a tiny bag in front of the adolescents' faces. Every one of the teenagers' eyes sparkled with interest.

"Oh, shit," JC hissed.

"What is that he's giving them?" I asked.

"Nothing good," Alec replied. "Most likely something concocted by a warlock, demon or faerie. Anything of that nature can be lethal to mundanes."

Without warning, JC strode forward into the street. The brakes of approaching vehicles squealed and the drivers slammed on their horns, but JC did not even flinch. Alec and I followed him quickly before we could get separated by the traffic. Neither the demon nor the students paid any attention to our not-so-stealthy approach. We'd reached the sidewalk on the other side of the street without any of them giving us so much as a glance.

We were just about on them when JC shouted, "Hey! You!"

The teenagers looked up and the demon whipped around, his shaking fingers closing around the baggy in his palm. The demon bolted in the blink of an eye, shoving past the startled students. JC took off after him with Alec and I in close pursuit. We followed him street after street, but after rounding a couple corners the crowds of pedestrians began to thicken. JC was still hot on the demon's heels, but Alec and I were falling behind, desperately weaving in and out of people and shoving mundanes out of our way.

The crowd began to clear towards the end of the block and when I looked ahead of me, I could see that JC had already crossed the street, tearing after the demon. Alec was in front of me, a good distance between us. My eyes caught the blare of the red _Don't Walk_ symbol at the cross walk, but Alec showed no sign of stopping. I shouted his name as he charged out onto the street.

There was a scream of a car horn, followed by the shriek of skidding brakes and a sickening thud. I watched, horrified, as Alec rebounded off the hood of a bright yellow taxi. His body crashed against the ground outside the cross walk. All traffic at the stoplight came to a halt, and the bystanders on the street corners froze, gaping at Alec's unmoving form.

I burst out onto the street and fell to my knees at Alec's side. I'd barely opened my mouth to ask if he was okay before the Shadowhunter was pushing himself to his feet. Alec groaned and rubbed the arm he'd landed on, but, to my shock, as well as the crowd's, he launched himself back into the chase. Before anyone could question me, I took off after him. My eyes never left his back. He wasn't running as fast as before and I easily caught up to him, but he was still setting a decent pace for someone who'd just been hit by a car. The two of us looked frantically for JC. It was only when we heard the aggravated honking of traffic that we caught sight of the Shadowhunter's back flying across the middle of the street, just a few feet behind the demon.

Alec and I tore through the street to get to the other side, ignoring the cursing from numerous drivers making rude gestures out their windows. We raced down the sidewalk and rounded another corner. The crowd, thankfully, had thinned out even more. We chased after JC as the demon led him into an industrial area.

The demon launched himself onto a chain link fence and climbed over with ease. JC climbed over to the other side with minimal effort. Mundanes shouted at them as they ripped through a construction site.

Alec halted for a moment in front of the fence, breathing heavily. One side of his face was covered in scratches and he was holding his rib cage.

"Give me a boost," he panted.

"Alec-"

"Give me a boost, Jace!"

 _Stubborn as always._ I shook my head and laced my fingers together. Alec placed his boot in my makeshift foothold and he sprung upwards as I lifted him off the ground. He flipped over the top of the fence and landed sure-footedly. The other Shadowhunter did not even wait for me before taking off after his partner. I scrambled over the fence and followed him. Several construction workers tried to stop us as we ran through their working site, but we easily pushed them aside.

There was another fence to scale, but through the links we could see JC in a struggle with the demon. We cleared the construction site and sprinted across the cracked ground underneath an overpass. There were concrete pillars and walls surrounding us, every inch of space marked with graffiti. Broken glass and trash littered the ground. With the construction site now behind us, we were completely alone.

Alec and I caught up just as JC had the demon pinned against one of the pillars, a knife at his throat. Alec put his hands on his knees and bent over to catch his breath. I unsheathed the glamoured seraph blade at my side and held it at the ready.

"Nice of you to join us," JC said to us, never taking his eyes off the demon.

"Please! Don't kill me!" the demon blubbered before Alec or I could speak.

"Shut up!" JC warned. "You'll speak when you're spoken to."

Magnus had been right about this demon. I'd never seen a Downworlder so squeamish before. His entire body was quaking, and his eyes, dark blue with flecks of gold, were filled with terror. He was shorter than all of us, and though he seemed to have adequate muscle, he lacked the broadness to take on any one of us.

"What were you doing with those mundanes?" Alec demanded, his voice strong despite his current condition.

The demon's lip quivered. "They just wanted some Dust, man. I've sold it to them before."

"You were selling Tinker Bell's ashes to some mundane kids?" JC's voice dripped with disgust.

"I was just doing what I was told," the demon whimpered.

Alec pulled out his phone and held the screen up to the demon's face. "Have you seen this warlock before?"

None of us failed to see the flicker in the demon's eyes.

"N-no. I've never seen him before."

"Liar." JC pushed the blade of the knife harder against the demon's skin. "Tell us the truth or I'll slit your throat right now."

"No, no, no! Don't!" The demon started hyperventilating.

The demon's behavior was nothing short of pathetic, but it was real. I felt pity stirring in my chest, but I cast it aside like an afterthought. He hadn't been the one to try and murder me and Alec, but I couldn't be sure that he hadn't been involved. I wondered if this trembling demon had been the one stalking us.

"Have you seen this warlock?" Alec asked again.

The demon swallowed hard. "Yes. I worked for him."

"Are you aware that he's dead?"

The demon gave a shaky nod.

"Are you aware that he had been sent to kill us?" Alec questioned.

The demon scanned each of our faces, but his eyes lingered on me.

JC jostled him roughly. "Answer the question!"

"Yes." The demon's voice quivered. "He was commanded to kill."

"Who gave the command?" Alec enquired.

The demon squirmed against JC's hold, his eyes searching the overpass above us. JC shook him again and the demon flinched under the Shadowhunter's malicious stare. Incoherent noises passed through the demon's lips as he mumbled to himself.

"Who gave the command?" Alec yelled, his voice resonating around us.

"I don't know!" the demon cried, shrinking back against the pillar. "I don't know his name!"

"All right." The calmness in JC's voice sent chills even down my back.

The Shadowhunter readjusted the knife so the tip of the blade was pushing against the demon's Adam's apple. He inched his face closer to the demon's and lowered his voice.

"Tell us where we can find him."

The demon blinked as if JC's words confused him. His eyes darted around again as the gears in his mind worked frantically. He was mumbling to himself again, and when he gave JC a helpless shrug, the Shadowhunter pushed the knife hard enough to draw blood.

"Wait, wait, wait!" The demon pleaded. "He is everywhere. There are many places you can look for him."

"I want you to tell us where we can find him today," JC ordered.

The demon bit his lip as he measured JC's expression. "Will you let me go if I tell you?"

A heavy silence hung around us. Alec and I looked at each other. The demon gave a whimper as JC stared him down. Reluctantly, he told us where to go, giving us a complete address. Alec programmed the address into his phone and confirmed it with a nod at JC. With his lip curled, JC lowered his knife and stepped back. The demon snivelled and kept his eyes downcast, his hands trembling.

Suddenly, JC struck his arm outwards and the entire blade of the knife sunk into the demon's throat. The demon gurgled and collapsed onto his knees, his eyes bulging with terror. Alec and I exchanged glances of astonishment, but before either of us could protest JC positioned himself behind the demon and snapped his neck with a sharp jerk. The demon fell face-first against the ground, lifeless.

"What the hell was that?" Alec gasped.

"I thought he was going to take us where we needed to go," I growled.

JC retrieved his knife and wiped the blade on the demon's jacket. "I didn't want to risk him tipping anyone off."

"That guy was harmless," I countered. "He was petrified. There's no way he would have been able to warn anyone about us."

JC shoved past us, but before he got too far he stopped and turned, glowering down at the demon's carcass. "There is no place in this world for scum like him."


	15. Captives

We'd ended up taking a cab to our next location, but JC instructed the driver to pull over a few blocks away so we could scout the perimeter. The three of us stood rooted in place until the taxi sped off around a corner and disappeared. JC tucked the remaining cash in his hand into his pocket as he glanced around, eyes narrowed.

I was too busy keeping an eye on Alec to even acknowledge our surroundings. The Shadowhunter had barely spoken during the cab ride. He'd been clutching at his side occasionally, often flinching when his fingers touched his abdomen. It was apparent that he did not want to draw attention to himself, but the downplaying of his injuries did not fool me.

Now that we were out of the cab, however, Alec appeared to be in perfect shape. His back was straight as he stood tall, and he twisted easily, stretching. Not an ounce of pain was visible in his calm expression.

I stepped up to Alec's side, leaned in towards his ear and whispered, "Are you all right?"

My eyes traced the scratches covering Alec's cheek as he turned to me.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"You got hit by a car."

"I got _bumped_ by a car."

I ground my teeth together. "Alec."

"I'm fine, Jace," Alec insisted.

"Look, maybe we should go back to the apartment. We'll get Magnus to check you out and then we'll come right back."

JC retraced the steps he had taken away from us and piped up, "Why do we need to go back to the apartment?"

"Jace thinks we should regroup with Magnus," Alec answered before I could.

"This is just my opinion, but I'd rather waste this guy here and now. If we go back to the apartment, we risk losing him again." JC's eyes fell on Alec's scratches. "What happened to you?"

"I fell."

JC cocked an eyebrow. "You fell?"

"Running through the construction site." Alec was careful to avoid looking at me. "One of the workers made a grab for me. I took care of it."

JC's eyes narrowed again, though more from concern than from suspicion. He gave a nod and turned his back to us, gazing down the street. Alec snuck a sideways glance at me and I gave him my best _WTF?_ look. He simply shook his head.

On JC's suggestion, we began making our way down the street. There were no mundanes in this area, nor were any Downworlders in sight. The familiar tingle crept up my neck as we proceeded down the next block. Alec checked the address in his phone again and pointed out the building. The structure's walls were marred by vulgar graffiti, and the few windows that had not been boarded up, namely on the upper level, had been smashed. It looked like it could have been an institution at one point. I shivered.

We treaded up the three steps to the front entrance, glancing down at the rusted length of chains that once locked the doors. JC unsheathed his seraph blade and reached for the door handle. Alec had his own blade in his hand, blue eyes wide. My fingers tightened around the hilt of my seraph blade, my sweaty palm slipping against the cold weapon.

JC pulled the door open, wincing when it made a loud squeal of protest. We froze, staring into the shadows that swarmed the inside of the building. We each reached into our weapons belts and took out our witchlights. JC held his up and took a step into the building, scouting for enemies. When no one greeted us, Alec and I followed suit. Reluctantly, I pulled the door closed firmly behind me.

The air inside the building was cold, smelling of dampness and dust. The sound of our breathing was like screams piercing through the darkness. Unsure of where to go, we shuffled forward silently. The main hallway was long and branched off in two directions towards the rear of the building. JC looked back at us with a shrug.

Alec squeezed by me and held his witchlight up, turning left and then right. The illumination could not penetrate the darkness at the end of either hallway. Helpless, Alec pointed to the left and gave us a shrug. JC took the lead again, creeping to the left. Many of the doors lining this hall had been left ajar; JC glanced in each one carefully before proceeding. I kept my eyes trained in front of me, not daring to look into any of the rooms. My mind was determined to believe that this was, in fact, an old mental institution. The shadows in each room only made me think of solitude and torment, screams and whispers in the dark.

JC stopped and looked over his shoulder at us. There were two staircases before us, one going up and one going down. When I looked at the staircase leading to the basement, another chill crept up my spine.

"We should finish checking this floor before we go anywhere else," Alec whispered.

JC nodded and we turned around, backtracking our way down to the hallway on the right. Alec was in front this time, with JC pulling up the rear. As we passed one of the rooms, a mouse darted out in front of my path and scurried away. I jumped and my back bumped into JC's chest. JC let out a breath, having been startled, too, and patted my shoulder. I moved forward, the pounding of my heart now louder than my breathing.

The corridor came to an end with a set of double doors, both of which had been torn off their hinges and lay on the ground in front of our feet. Alec stepped onto one of the doors and raised his witchlight. The windows in this room had been boarded up, and the walls were lined with bookshelves, old board games and several hand drawn pictures. Books scattered the floor, their pages spewed in every direction. There was no furniture, but it was not hard to picture this as the common room; a place for visitors and patients to pretend their lives were normal. Garbage, aluminum cans and liquor bottles had been cast aside, and in the corner there was a backpack and a sleeping bag. A dirty, tattered mattress occupied another corner.

JC located a light switch on the wall and flicked it on. One of the light bulbs overhead flickered on briefly before cloaking us in darkness once again.

I nodded to the sleeping bag and backpack. "Someone's definitely been here."

"Could just be some mundanes," JC whispered back.

Alec stepped farther into the room. JC tested the other light switches on the panel and I walked over to the far corner of the room. I held my witchlight up to the volumes on one of the bookshelves and scanned the titles. A great number of them were children's' books.

The sudden scuffling of paper underneath shoes whipped me around. The three of us stared at each other, eyes wide. Patches of darkness separated each of us. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled. Before any of us could move there was a light clink, like the sound of a stone hitting against a tile floor. The crackle of electricity buzzed through the air and all of us cursed in unison. The witchlight clattered against the floor as I shook my hand, trying to extinguish the burning heat that scalded my palm. The illumination of the witchlights was snuffed out and the room went pitch black.

A loud thud reached my ears.

"Oh shit!" JC yelled.

The noises of a struggle echoed around me. JC grunted and cried out as he fought against an unseen enemy. I could not hear Alec, which turned my blood to ice. I dropped to my knees and fumbled my hands against the floor, searching for my witchlight.

Suddenly there was a loud _thunk_ , followed by a heavy thud. All sounds of the struggle cut out, drowning me in silence and darkness. I continued searching the floor frantically until my fingers finally wrapped around the stone. It ignited as soon as my fingers touched the surface. Just as I held mine up, another witchlight blazed through the shadows. Alec's white face peered at me from across the room. The two of us turned to where JC had been standing, but there was nothing there. We bolted over to the room's entrance and stood on the doors. There was a smear of fresh blood on the tiles in the hallway, but JC had disappeared completely.

Alec charged into the hall, searching every room again as he passed. I followed more cautiously, constantly checking over my shoulder and ahead of us. When we reached the fork in the hall, Alec turned to me.

"I'll head back down the hall towards the entrance," he instructed quietly. "You go back towards the stairs."

"Splitting up is a bad idea," I protested.

"Don't go up the stairs without me. We need to find JC and we need to find him _now_. We can do that a lot faster if we split up."

Alec took off before I could say anything more. Reluctantly, I started down the hall again. My ears strained against the silence. My breaths came so quietly I wasn't even sure if I was actually breathing. As I neared the halfway point down the corridor, a soft shuffling noise caught my attention. I pivoted on the balls of my feet to face the room on my right. As I stepped inside, a shiver crawled up the length of my back. The room was small and empty aside from a dirty bed frame. Just as I turned around to leave, the door slammed shut and a tall figure rushed at me.

I instinctively swung out with my seraph blade. The figure dodged the attack and dropped into a crouch, snarling. I held my witchlight up and caught the features of a vampire glaring back at me. He sprung at me, fangs bared. Before he could collide into me, I tucked into a ball and rolled forward. As I straightened I whirled around to face him. He was already flying at me; I barely had enough time to sidestep him. Before he could turn I pushed him from behind into a wall and stabbed my seraph blade all the way through his back, piercing his heart through his ribcage. The vampire sagged against my blade. I yanked it free and made quick work of decapitating him. I bent over, panting heavily. Just as my heart began to calm, a muffled yell sent my pulse into a frenzy again. I waited, unsure if I had actually heard anything. The yell came again, louder this time, and I instantly recognized Alec's voice shouting my name.

Cursing, I threw open the door and darted down the hallway. I skidded to a halt to see an unmoving body burning in a swirl of flames farther down Alec's hall. Seraph blade held at the ready, I moved forward. My eyes searched for movement, the flashes of a witchlight, but there was nothing. I could not even hear the sounds of a fight. As I carefully sidestepped the burning body, my shoe stepped on something hard. I lifted my foot and lowered my witchlight. Alec's lighter glittered in the illumination. I picked it up and pocketed it, looking inside the room it lay beside.

When I stepped farther inside, I found a seraph blade on the floor. Droplets of blood around it glittered in the presence of the witchlight.

"Alec," I whispered.

Silence answered me. I took a step back. Alec and JC were in trouble, but I knew I couldn't help them. Not on my own. I needed help. I took another step back, inching my way out of the room and towards the doors we had entered the building through. I knew it seemed cowardly to run, but I knew another minute alone could mean the death of all three of us. Magnus was our last hope.

I suddenly felt the presence of someone behind me. Before I could turn around, something hard cracked against my skull and I fell into nothingness.

* * *

 

The throbbing in my head brought me slowly back into consciousness. I winced and blinked my eyes until the blurry images began to clear. It was quiet and dark, but not all dark. I was sitting under a light, but a few feet in front of my outstretched legs the light faded back into shadows.

When I tried to rub my head, I found I could not move my hands. At first I was confused, but my memory returned and with it came the instant sharpening of my senses. I tried to move my hands again, but found that they were restrained. I was sitting propped up against a pillar, my hands tied around it. I looked down at my weapons belt, but all my weapons had been removed. I swore and struggled to loosen my restraints.

"Jace?"

The weak voice stilled me. I looked around and when I leaned forward, craning my neck, I saw another form sitting in front of a pillar slightly behind and to my left. He was facing me, but I could see that his arms were pulled back around the pillar like mine.

JC lifted his head. His eyes looked tired and unfocused, as if he'd just woken up from being knocked unconscious, too. I was more alarmed by the blood oozing from a gash on his forehead and a cut in his lip.

I looked over my right shoulder, searching frantically for Alec, but he was nowhere to be seen. I wondered where he was. He'd been caught before I had been, hadn't he? I looked to my right again. There was another pillar in the light, but Alec was not tied to it.

"Jace," JC said again.

"Where's Alec?" I whispered. "JC, do you know where he is?"

JC closed his eyes, and when he opened them again I could see the defeat in his dark irises. "I warned to you stay away from him. I told you to leave. You should have listened to me."


	16. Pulse

I stilled against the pillar, ignoring the throbbing in my wrists from my struggle to wriggle out of the bonds. My eyes searched JC's face, but there was no evidence there of any lies. He returned my gaze, eyes half-lidded and shoulders slumped in defeat. Still, I could not find the truth behind JC's words; I could not believe what he was insinuating about Alec.

I turned away and twisted my wrists against the restraints. "What are you talking about?"

"Jace, the killer we've been hunting," JC's voice, though still weak, escalated in volume, "has been right under our noses this whole time."

"Alec's not behind this," I said defiantly.

JC paused. "Well, I don't see him here. Do you?"

"Did he attack you and bring you here?"

"I don't know."

I rested from my attempt to get free. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"Something got thrown into the room that extinguished all our witchlights. I don't know about you, but the zap I got in my hand was pretty powerful. I've never heard of a Shadowhunter weapon like that, but a weapon created by a warlock..."

"Don't drag Magnus into this."

"I've been looking into this since before you showed up," JC hissed. "You don't know Alec as well as you think."

Suddenly I was at war with myself. Part of me desperately wanted to believe that my judgement of character was proof enough that Alec was not who JC was making him out to be. But another part of me brought up recollections: Alec being accused by another Shadowhunter, a witness, of murder; Alec killing the Shadowhunter; Alec insisting the two of us split up to find JC; Alec shouting my name from down the hallway, luring me...

I shook my head as if I could shatter the thought. I wriggled my wrists with renewed vigour. JC was silent for a long moment, though I could feel his eyes on me. A string of curses slipped past my lips as the bonds remained secure and tight.

"You know parts of Alec's life don't add up," JC said quietly.

"There's an explanation for everything."

"Whatever you say, Mr. Spock."

"Can you get your hands free?"

I watched as JC adjusted his posture, his shoulders bobbing up and down as he tested his bonds. His tongue slipped out as he concentrated, mopping up some of the blood on his lip.

Without looking at me, JC asked, "Why did you come back?"

Confused by the question, I remained silent and waited for him to continue.

"After Alec sent you away," JC clarified. "Even after all the times I threatened you and was a complete asshole to you, you still came back."

I sighed. "Alec saved my life. I trust him."

"You trust him? Even after he killed that Shadowhunter?"

I opened my mouth to reply but the words died on my lips. My blood frosted over as silence drifted through the room. To my knowledge, Alec and I had not told anyone what had happened in the basement of my apartment. We'd briefly mentioned "Bathtub Eddie", but we had not explained that he was a Shadowhunter. If neither Alec or myself had told Magnus or JC and the three of us had been together ever since, how did JC know?

When I looked over, JC had stopped struggling and was staring at me, his face stoic.

"We never told you Alec killed a Shadowhunter," I all but whispered.

Confusion swept across JC's dark eyes. He shook his head and looked down, as if the answer was sitting in his lap. The room seemed to grow colder as JC remained silent. When he finally lifted his chin again, a wide smile stretched across his face. A soft laugh escaped him and he calmly swung his arms around to interlace his fingers in his lap. My eyes fell to his wrists, which were unmarked. His hands had never been tied behind the pillar.

"Good catch, Jace," he drawled, still grinning. "You're sharper than I thought."

I watched as he pushed himself to his feet with fluid movements. Hands clasped behind his back, he sauntered over to stand in front of me. He tapped the bottom of my boot with his own, a bored expression on his face.

"Where's Alec?" I growled.

Without answering, JC reached out and clasped the pillar with his hand. With a carelessness about his movements, he began twirling himself around the pillar, stepping over me as needed. He whistled to himself whilst doing so, and his demeanor reminded me of an old-fashioned man dancing around a lamppost.

"You want to know where Alec is?" JC asked when he was positioned behind me.

I started when there was suddenly someone crouching next to me. But it was not JC. Alec's blue eyes were staring back at me, his lips curving into a crooked smile. His unscathed appearance was unsettling. My mouth was open, but before I could speak, Alec's features began to shimmer. His skin tone darkened slightly and his eyes faded from blue to black. Alec had melted away and JC was crouching beside me.

JC winked. "Pretty neat, huh?"

I swallowed hard before managing to say, "What the hell are you?"

JC's lip twitched and he straightened, coming to stand before my outstretched legs so he could look down upon me. "If I knew, I'd tell you."

My racing thoughts soon matched the pace of my heart. "It was you. You killed Shadowhunters disguised as Alec."

JC's features morphed again and I was suddenly looking up at an exact replica of myself.

"Well duh," he answered in my voice.

"You used him."

JC returned to his original form. Displeasure was evident on his face and he looked down at me the way one looks at road kill on the side of a highway. He wiped the blood on his lip away with his thumb and stared at the red stain on his skin.

"Alec was an unfortunate...miscalculation. Yes, I used his identity. But only to persuade him into a better life. A more powerful life." JC began pacing back and forth. "Let me tell you a little story, Jace. Once upon a time, there was a little boy born into a Shadowhunter family. Little did the boy know that his mother had been whoring herself out behind his father's back, and he had become the tainted offspring. The boy had a normal childhood, but when he hit adolescence he started to notice some troubling differences.

"Where his family consumed food to satisfy hunger, he found that food could no longer quench his appetite. He also found that he was stronger than other boys his age, and less...breakable. Sometimes he could even manipulate his looks: the color of his eyes or hair. One day, he was playing with the family dog. He was so hungry, you see, and, by instinct, the boy placed his hand on the dog's chest. Only his hand went through. He was not frightened as he placed his hand against the dog's beating heart. And a surge of energy flowed through the boy. That energy finally sated the boy's hunger. He held onto the dog's heart until the muscle stopped beating.

"The boy's mother stumbled across the dead dog, and when the little boy explained what he'd done... I never thought the screaming would end. The family was not overcome with joy that the little boy's true identity had finally emerged. Of course the mother never admitted what she'd done. She cursed her son and even tried to kill him. But all the arsenic in the world couldn't kill the boy.

"The boy was an outcast in his own family. His mother, father and sister hated him. His existence was a burden and a disgrace. And you know what? The boy grew to hate his family. He sought acceptance from other Shadowhunters, friends and strangers, but all he received was hatred and disgust.

"One night, the boy stole away into his sister's room and slit her throat. He then went to his father's room and slit his throat, too. As his mother screamed and screamed, the boy reached into her chest and squeezed her heart until her life transferred to him. The boy left the house that same night. He learned how to disguise himself with the skin of other people, and with that skill he slipped through the city, vowing not to leave a single Shadowhunter alive."

"How many innocent people have you killed?" I bit out.

JC shrugged. "I lost count after a while. Years worth of work is a lot to keep track of. I cleared city after city. But alas, my task was undeniably too large for just one man. Nephilim scum are many in number. Lucky for me, I'm not the only one who hates Shadowhunters. I enlisted the help of numerous Downworlders more than willing to soak their hands in Nephilim blood. I finally earned my rightful status among Downworlders. Demons knew never to cross me, warlocks worshipped the ground I walked on--"

"Magnus works for you?" I interrupted.

JC waved his hand. "Of course not. Under my orders, Magnus Bane was to be kept in the dark about my work. He would have remained ignorant until the fateful day that I would finally be able to get my hand on that powerful heart of his."

"You were going to kill Magnus? You son of a bitch. That would destroy Alec."

"That's the point." JC raised his finger to his lips, silencing me before I could speak again. "The vampire attack on Alec's family was not random. I sent them. Alec was not home at the time, and the vampires did not realize there was another child to hunt down. When I found out the entire family had not been slaughtered, I searched for Alec myself. He was easy enough to find, but I did not kill him right away. I watched him go to appalling lengths to learn the names of the vampires that murdered his family. I appreciated his determination to kill.

"I knew that with the right push, I'd be able to manipulate Alec into switching from killing Downworlders to killing Shadowhunters. All I had to do was kill Nephilim while wearing his face. When Alec's brethren started lining up to see him executed, I would tell him that a Shadowhunter had plotted his family's murder. Next would come the devastating death of Alec's boyfriend. The scene of the crime would, of course, be staged to point all signs at Nephilim attackers. Revenge would bind Alec to me in a heartbeat."

"Everything you did... Everything you planned to do," I said, "was all so you could have Alec as your accomplice?"

JC bent towards me, dark eyes cold and malevolent. "Alec is mine. I chose him. Besides, what's more poetic than an angel killing other angels?"

"You son of a bitch, JC."

"That's a statement I won't deny. My mother was a bitch, but total cessation of cardiac output fixed that."

"Alec would never become like you. He'd kill himself before devoting himself to wipe out the race of Shadowhunters."

"Are you so sure?" JC smiled. "I left out the critical part of my plan. You see, once Alec became hell bent on avenging Magnus, I would make him an offer. I'd offer him more power than any rune could ever provide. All he'd have to do is drink my blood."

I made a face. "There's no way in hell--"

"Truly?" JC cut me off, scrutinizing me. "There wouldn't be a moment of vulnerability during Alec's deep depression after Magnus's death? Alec would drink my blood, and he'd have his revenge. But he wouldn't stop after Magnus's so-called murderers. The need to feed off the life of other beings is overbearing, and draining life becomes addictive very quickly. If Alec ever tried to fight the urge to feed, he would eventually lose control and attack anyone. An old mundane woman in the street, a child, even you."

"Alec would never attack me."

"Perhaps not." There was a tic in JC's jaw. "You seem to have a way with ruining my plans. Your snooping around forced me to kill my own followers to protect my identity. I tried to distance you from Alec, but the two of you being inseparable made it nearly impossible for me to have you killed. Your demon bite didn't kill you. Neither did my warlock."

"The warlock with the pictures." I smiled tauntingly, relishing in the fact that I'd killed one of JC's better henchmen.

"Yes. The pictures I took whilst stalking you two. The both of you are rather oblivious. Then of course I had to add a picture of myself. Just having your face on his list would have been a little suspicious. Anyway, when my attempt to get Magnus to throttle you failed, I considered changing my angle. Maybe I'd keep you alive for when Alec changed. I'd keep you two in a room together, wait until starvation clouded Alec's mind. Only one of you would walk out."

I nodded, hearing JC's unspoken words loud and clear. "But you're not going to keep me alive anymore."

JC ruffled my hair patronizingly. "Of course not. I'm going to kill you, and then I'm going to decide what to do with Alec."

The thud of JC's boots echoed through the room as he disappeared behind me. Being unable to see him was nerve-wracking, but I tried not to squirm. My fear would only make it easier and more enjoyable for him to kill me. Several long minutes passed before JC finally returned. He wheeled a stainless steel table across the room and into the dark. Whistling as he walked, he disappeared again.

Lights suddenly flicked on, immersing the entire room in light. I looked around, squinting against the brightness. We were clearly in the basement, but there were no windows and I could not see a door. The remainder of the room in front of me was an open floor, void of any other pillars.

I stiffened when JC walked past me. Slung over his shoulder, unmoving, was Alec. He carried the Shadowhunter over to the table across the room and dropped him on the shiny surface. Alec's head lolled to the side limply, facing me, and I sucked in a breath when I noticed how pale he was.

JC smirked as he walked back over to me. "Relax. He's just unconscious."

I couldn't help but cringe when JC crouched in front of me and pulled out a knife. He waggled the blade in front of my eyes before pressing the tip against my chest. I flattened myself against the pillar, trying to distance myself from the weapon. JC cocked his head to the side and straightened. As he slowly stepped around behind me, he trailed the blade back up my chest, up my throat and across my cheek. When the knife disappeared, I braced myself for the first stab, the first bite of pain.

The tightness around my wrists suddenly fell away. I brought my aching arms around to my front and rubbed my raw skin. When JC stepped around the pillar, he was holding two seraph blades in his hand. With the other, he tucked the knife back into his pocket. He watched me for a moment in silence before dropping a seraph blade on the floor beside me. The weapon clanged against the ground sharply.

"Pick it up," JC ordered. "I want to at least give you a fighting chance."

I grabbed the weapon before he could change his mind. When I jumped to my feet, the room spun as my blood raced through my body. JC strode across the floor patiently, twirling his seraph blade in his hand expertly. I looked over at Alec, knowing I had to win. I was not just fighting for my life, but for his as well.

JC angled his body towards me and glared at me through the tops of his eyes. "I've waited a long time to kill you, Jace."

I fought to keep my voice steady. "Too late."

JC's arm moved faster than my eyes could see. It had barely registered in my mind that he'd whipped out the knife and hurled it at me. By a stroke of luck, I swung my blade and knocked the knife aside midair. It clanged against the wall and dropped to the floor. JC rushed at me and brought his seraph blade down hard on my raised weapon. My arms shook under his brute strength as he pushed downwards. I quickly checked his proximity before ramming my knee into his stomach.

I surged forward as JC retreated. He met my blade swing for swing as I attacked him. Already I could feel a thin sheen of sweat covering my face, but JC had not a single drop of perspiration on his skin. I'd never fought with him before, but I could already tell that I was outmatched. The power behind his swings rattled my bones and the way he'd recovered so quickly from my blow to his stomach was inhuman.

As our blades clanged against each other, I searched frantically for a gap in JC's defense. He was not attacking, only defending against my moves, and I knew that it would not be much longer before I became exhausted.

I forced JC to make a block overhead. As soon as his blade met mine, I swung my blade in a downwards arc, pushing JC's weapon with mine. As his seraph blade swung out to the side, his body opened up, exposed. Without a second's hesitation, I spun myself around and drove my arms forward. My seraph blade buried itself deep within JC's stomach. I stepped back, waiting for him to crash to the floor.

JC looked down at the weapon impaling him and let his arm fall limply against his side. To my horror, he looked up at me and smiled. With bone-chilling calmness, JC grabbed the hilt of my blade and pulled it from his stomach. He looked at the blood staining the weapon before tossing it aside, along with his own seraph blade. The hole in JC's stomach slowly began stitching itself shut.

I did not have time to defend myself as JC rushed at me. His fist caught my jaw and knocked me off balance. I stumbled back, raising my arms to protect my face. Instead of punching me again, he kicked out with his leg and drove his shin against my abdomen. I curled in on myself, but remained on my feet. When JC charged me again, I was ready for him. I lowered my shoulder and just as he reached me I straightened, rolling his body across my back. He landed with a heavy thud behind me. I turned, readying myself to kick him but JC was faster.

Executing a backwards somersault, he launched himself back onto his feet and grabbed hold of me. Before I could twist out of his grip, JC grabbed my arm and whirled me in a circle, lifting me off the ground. As he swung me around, he gave a jerk and I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder. He released me as I cried out and I sailed across the room. My back slammed into one of the pillars and I collapsed onto the floor, landing on my shoulder at an awkward angle. Searing pain erupted at the site, and when I tried to push myself up I found my arm could not move properly. It hung, dislocated, beside me.

JC picked me up again and threw me before I could fight back. He tossed me across the room as if I weighed nothing. I crashed against the wall at the opposite side of the room and landed on my back, gasping for breath. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the seraph blades laying not far away, but before I could make a grab for them JC was on me again. He grabbed me by the front of my gear and sat me up so my back was against the wall. He crouched in front of me and lifted the knife he'd retrieved. With a flick of his wrist, he made a narrow slice across my cheek.

"You Nephilim all think that because you're born from Raziel's blood, you're invincible. You think that you can't bleed, that you're pure, that you're God's given gifts to this planet."

He made a cut in my other cheek, deeper this time. Through the pain, there was a moment of clarity. I abruptly remembered Alec's lighter in my pocket, thankfully on the side of my good arm. Careful not to draw JC's attention, I slipped my fingers inside my pocket and kept my expression straight as I felt the cold metal against my fingertips. With minimal movement, I pulled it out and quietly flipped it open. Distracted, JC continued making small cuts on my face and throat.

"I thought you'd put up a better fight," he said. "I would have taken the life from your heart, but I don't want the life force of a weakling residing inside me. I want to watch you choke on your own blood. I want to see the fear in your eyes when you start to drown."

I smiled. "I want to see the look on your face when you realize you're on fire."

JC's eyebrows furrowed and I looked downwards pointedly. He followed my gaze and spat a curse when he saw that the hem of his gear had, in fact, caught on fire. The flames spread farther up his shirt, consuming the gear and devouring JC's skin. JC lurched to his feet and desperately tried to extinguish the flames with his hands. As he beat his palms against himself, I launched myself to the side and snatched up one of the seraph blades. Just as JC smothered the last of the fire, he looked up just in time to see me stab him through the heart.

The breath rushed out of his lungs in a whoosh and his eyes widened. I stared him down defiantly until he finally crumpled to the floor. He stared up, unseeing, as I stood over him. After a long moment, I bent down and pressed my fingers against his throat. There was no pulse.

I let out a heavy breath and straightened, wincing as the pain in my dislocated shoulder intensified. I turned and approached Alec. He was still unconscious on the table.

"Alec," I called softly.

He didn't move. I reached for his shoulder to shake him. As soon as my hand touched his body, my heart came to a screeching halt and my blood turned to ice. Not only was Alec pale, but his body was cool and stiff. Fear paralyzed me. I stood frozen, shaking, until I finally managed to raise my hand and press my fingers against his throat. Just like JC, there was no pulse. Just like JC, Alec was dead.


	17. The Bond

The room seemed to suck all the air from my lungs. I stood gasping at Alec's side, unable to control the shaking in my limbs. My voice wavered as I called his name again and when he did not reply, I began screaming his name over and over. I shook his shoulder roughly in hopes that, by some miracle, he would open his eyes and breathe once again. But he remained unmoving, unresponsive, dead.

With bile rising in my throat, I stepped away from the table and ran my trembling hand through my hair. Coherent thoughts were eluding me. There was nothing except the coldness in my limbs, the numbness in my heart and the pounding of my pulse.

After a long moment, just as my hysteria began to subside, the memory slammed into me: Alec's body slammed against the pavement for the second time. I remembered the way his body bounced on impact. I remembered the way my stomach had dropped as if the ground had given out beneath me. I remembered the tiny splotch of dirt on the hood of the yellow taxi.

JC had told me that Alec was only unconscious, but he had not seen Alec get hit by the car. We hadn't told him. If Alec's state of unconsciousness was more serious than it appeared, there was no way for JC to know. He was completely unaware that his partner's life was in danger. And if Alec had hit his head on the road, JC's knocking him unconscious, depending on the method, would have caused even more damage.

Unsteadily, I moved forward again and reached out for the hem of Alec's shirt. I peeled the gear upwards slowly, exposing Alec's skin inch by inch. Just as I feared, there was a large, dark red splotch covering the side of Alec's abdomen. Internal bleeding. The discoloration was wider than the span of my hand and stretched down beneath the waist of Alec's pants.

My eyes caught a slight bulge in Alec's pocket. Moving on its own accord, my hand shot out and snatched the object within. When I looked down into my palm, I almost crumpled to my knees to see Alec's cell phone. I tore through Alec's contacts until I found Magnus's name. After punching the call button, I held the phone up to my ear. I waited anxiously for the music of dialing numbers, but all that reached my ears was my ragged breathing. I pulled the phone away and stared at the screen. No service.

"Goddammit!"

I stretched my arm towards the ceiling and began roaming the room, searching desperately for a signal. It was all I could do not to hurl the cell phone at the wall when my search came up empty. I strode towards the doors at the posterior of the basement, but paused just as my hand extended towards the handle. It occurred to me that JC could have positioned guards at the doors or somewhere else in the building. If there were other Downworlders lurking the halls I would be caught, and the chances of me surviving a fight in my condition were slim.

Unsure of what to do, I returned to Alec's side and stared down at his lifeless face. I knew that the longer I waited, the less chance there was of bringing Alec back. But if I was caught sneaking around the building, we were both dead. For good.

A magnetic pull suddenly drew my attention down to JC's body. A puddle of blood, too dark in color, had formed around him. The seraph blade remained protruding from his chest, gleaming in the light like a pure soul springing free from a dark and demonic cage. My legs moved at their own will, dragging me closer to JC.

_"As his mother screamed and screamed, the boy reached into her chest and squeezed her heart until her life transferred to him."_

JC had told me that he'd spent his life murdering Shadowhunters by placing his hand on their hearts and stealing their existence. He'd taken their lives and made them his own. But I wondered he'd ever tried to give life _back_...

Lowering myself onto my knees, I closed the small distance between me and JC. As I stared down into his eyes, I imagined Alec's blue irises replacing JC's dark ones. I wanted to see Alec wink at me again as he teased Magnus. I wanted to see the crinkles in the corners of his eyes as he grinned at me around a cigarette. I wanted to see him roll his eyes as I cracked a lame joke. I wanted to see the unabashed love swimming in those blue oceans that was always present whenever Magnus and Alec were together.

There was a wet slurp as I pulled the seraph blade free of JC's still heart. Without a conscious thought, I slid the blade across JC's wrist and watched the black blood bubble from the wound. The splattering of the droplets against the floor screamed in my ears.

 _Alec saved your life,_ my mind whispered. _You have to save his._

Before I could hesitate, I brought JC's wrist to my lips and sucked his warm blood into my mouth. The flavor was atrocious. Where human blood tasted metallic, JC's blood tasted like acidic metal. The blood burned the inside of my mouth and I had to clamp my teeth into JC's skin to prevent myself from vomiting. After each swallow, the taste worsened. The thick blood coated my throat with the flavors of rust and black smoke. Swallowing the blood and keeping it down became a struggle, but I pressed on. I did not know how much blood I needed to ingest to become infected.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp twisting sensation in my stomach and JC's wrist fell away from my lips. The remaining blood in my mouth spilled onto the floor as I hugged my middle and curled in on myself, screaming. Knives of fire stabbed at my abdomen and boiled the blood coursing through my entire body. My stomach clenched painfully as though I had thrown up too many times. I could feel the gag reflex at the back of my throat, but nothing came up.

Seconds later, everything disappeared. The pain, the unsettled stomach, the awful taste in my mouth. Gone. I cautiously straightened, testing for pain by clenching and unclenching my abdominal muscles. Nothing. Shakily, I wiped the back of my hand across my mouth. Blood was smeared against my skin, but I could taste nothing. It was as if only warm water had splashed against my tongue.

After I took a minute to calm myself, I crawled over to a pillar and propped my back up against it. I relayed the information JC had given me. If it was as easy as he said it was, all I had to do was put my hand on my chest and it would go through. Tentatively, I positioned my palm over my heart and pushed inward, but my hand did not disappear behind my flesh. I pushed again.

"What the hell?" I looked at my palm before pressing it back against my chest. "Come on. Please work."

Still nothing happened. Frustrated, I slapped my hand against my chest. When that did nothing, I pushed against my chest until I was sure my bones were about to shatter. My hand fell away and I sat against the pillar, panting. Tears pricked at the backs of my eyes as I wondered what I was doing wrong. What had JC kept from me?

I imagined Magnus bursting into the room through a portal. I imagined him coming to help me, but running away when he discovered Alec. I envisioned the warlock using his magic to try and bring his boyfriend back to life, but to no avail. His voice resonated in my ears as he shouted at me, demanding why I hadn't tried harder to save Alec's life. I imagined my own voice being weak and helpless as I tried to explain that with my injuries there was little I could do. I could not perform CPR, I could not run for help. Finally, I pictured Magnus's yellow eyes glaring at me. Filled with rage, with hatred. Eyes that were hungry for my death.

Anguished and terrified, I slammed my palm against my chest one final time. Pain exploded behind my ribcage and I immediately ripped my hand away, breathing heavily. Shocked, I pressed my hand over my heart and gasped to see my palm sliding inside of my body. I pushed harder, breathing through the intensifying pain. When I felt my ribs, I pushed my hand past them. White spots danced in front of my eyes. When I felt it, I yanked my hand out of my chest and leapt to my feet.

"Please let this work," I whispered. "Please let this work."

Standing at Alec's side, I picked up the hand of my dislocated arm in my other hand and placed it against Alec's chest. Pushing down on it, I nearly cried out in relief as it sunk down inside the Shadowhunter's body. When I felt Alec's inanimate heart, I wrapped the fingers of my limp hand around the muscle and pulled my other arm out.

With one deep inhale and exhale, I pushed my hand into my own chest and clamped my fingers around my heart. The pain was unimaginable, but I forced myself to remain conscious and vertical. My screams filled the basement as I willed part of my life to be transferred to Alec. The beating of my heart burned through my arm like an electrical current. My life was being conducted from my heart into Alec's.

Weakness and fatigue crashed into me. I held on, silently begging for Alec to open his eyes. I did not know what would happen if I kept this up for too long. Would I pass out? Would I die? When I couldn't hold on any longer and darkness began cloud my eyes, I released my heart and used my good hand to pull my arm out of Alec's chest.

The exact second my hand came free of Alec's flesh, the Shadowhunter sucked in a deep breath. My wide eyes mirrored his as his lungs rejected the sudden burst of air and he began wheezing and coughing. Alec's eyes slammed shut in his coughing fit and he tried to lift himself into a sitting position. I reached out and tried to push him back down. With weak movements, Alec pushed at my arm and swung his fists at my chest. I immediately realized he was not refusing my help, he was fighting me. In the short instant that his eyes had been open, he had not actually seen me. In his mind, he was fighting off an attacker.

"Alec." My voice came out weak. "Alec, it's okay. It's me. It's Jace."

At first the Shadowhunter continued to fight against me, but I continued to try and calm him. Finally, he recognized my voice. Instead of trying to push me away, he clung to my arm and held me close as his body was wracked with coughing.

"Jace," Alec rasped, his voice hoarse.

"I'm here."

Even as I said the words, I stepped away from the table and out of Alec's grip. The adrenaline from Alec's awakening had worn off too quickly, and I could feel myself being pulled under. My feet carried me backwards until my back hit the wall behind me. From there, I slid to the floor and watched Alec through half-lidded eyes. Only seconds passed before the slow lullaby of Alec's beating heart enveloped me in the dark.

* * *

 

I hovered by Alec's bedroom door, my fingers curled in a fist but not poised to knock. My other arm was still propped up in a sling, a blue one that matched the navy button down shirt Magnus had materialized - or stole - for me.

I'd woken up in the penthouse a couple days ago. Magnus was there from the moment I opened my eyes, fussing over me. This had startled me, but Magnus read my expression like a book and assured me that Alec was fine; however, I contemplated the warlock's definition of "fine" since he wouldn't let me see Alec. All Magnus said whenever I asked was that Alec wanted to be alone. He'd also explained to me that after I'd passed out, Alec had risked his life and staggered through the building, alone and wounded, until he'd found a good enough reception spot to call Magnus. This knowledge only reinforced my eagerness to go see Alec.

Magnus had popped my shoulder back into place, but he'd insisted on making it heal and recover naturally, claiming that he wanted to see if my "condition" affected the mundane healing process. I knew that was total bullshit. Most likely, Magnus had been trying to keep me as weak as possible so I wouldn't feel the need to leave the penthouse and kill people. He was purposefully keeping me cooped up inside so he could keep an eye on me. Of course, since he'd found out about JC, I couldn't blame him. I feigned ignorance and obliged to be his test subject. When he'd tried to heal the cuts on my face, I asked him to leave a couple light scars. Magnus agreed, rather reluctantly, when I told him they were a great way to break the ice with women. That was my own lie. I wanted to keep them as reminders. Reminders to prevent me from becoming the monster that gave them to me.

Currently Magnus was in his office trying to replicate life force sustenance with magic. I was under orders to be resting, but my desire to see Alec had gotten the better of me and I'd snuck out of my room to go see him. Besides, I wasn't very tired and the fact that napping could curb my appetite to go on a murderous rampage was a poor excuse to keep me as bored as hell.

With a deep breath, I reached my hand up and rapped on the door. When there was no response, I knocked again. Without a second thought, I turned the knob and pushed the door open.

The room was dark, the overhead light extinguished. But a square of light shone through the window and illuminated the figure sitting on the bed. The flashing lights from the city night life danced across Alec's face. He sat cross-legged, his back hunched. As I approached, I could barely hold back a gasp of worry. The eyeliner that had once traced Alec's eyes had been traded in for the dark circles of sleeplessness. His hair was flat and messy, not in its usual styled faux hawk. Under his baggy white t-shirt and grey sweatpants, I could see the gauntness of his body.

Without an invitation, I crossed the room and sat down beside Alec on the bed. For a long time neither of us spoke, nor did Alec acknowledge my presence. He continued staring through the window, through the lights, through everything. I remained silent, though a hundred questions swarmed my head. Alec didn't need questions. He needed someone to be there.

"How's the shoulder?" he suddenly asked, so quietly I almost hadn't heard him.

I offered a small smile. "It's good."

"Did Magnus send you in here?"

"Nope." I chuckled nervously. "Actually he's been trying to keep me away from you."

"I asked him to."

I stared at the side of Alec's face. "Why?"

Alec looked down at his lap instead of at me. "Because I'm a coward. I didn't want to face you after... My guilt and my shame are tearing me apart. You almost lost your life because of my stupidity. You sacrificed yourself to save me, and now you have to suffer because of it."

"I'm not suffering. Magnus has been tending to my every will and whim. With the right outfit, he'd make a lovely French maid."

Alec did not smile. "I'm sorry, Jace."

"Alec, don't." I angled my body towards him. "I owed you my life. I didn't sacrifice anything, and I'm not suffering. I made the decision to save you and I don't regret it. Besides, who else is going to help me stash bodies in my bathtub?"

Alec whispered, his voice strained, "He was living in this apartment."

I took a breath, struggling to put my thoughts into words of comfort.

"This whole time," Alec went on, "he was living under this roof. The son of a bitch that's been killing Shadowhunters was sleeping twenty feet away from me."

"You couldn't have known-"

"I had an odd feeling about him, but I never listened to my instincts. Even when he was a threat to you, I kept him around. He could have killed you, he could have killed Magnus. But I kept him around. I hunted with him. I laughed with him. I treated him like a brother."

"If it makes you feel any better," I said, "Magnus is the High Warlock of Brooklyn, and even he didn't see through JC's facade."

Alec turned to me and I saw the tears streaming down his cheeks. "He killed my family. He pretty much just stood by and watched as I got raped trying to find the vampires he sent to murder them. He let me trust him, and after all this time he only planned on betraying me."

I paused. "It's almost unfair that I killed him. He should be the one suffering. Death was an easy punishment for him."

"He deserved to die." Alec reached up and clasped the golden heart around his neck. "And I'm glad he was killed by the person he hated, the person he underestimated."

I smirked. "He did hate me, didn't he?"

Alec managed a small smile and wiped his eyes. "Thank you, Jace."

"You _so_ owe me dinner. And a foot massage."

I reached into my pocket and pulled out Alec's lighter. I admired the glint of light reflecting off the surface before placing it in Alec's upturned palm. He flipped it open and flicked the switch, the flame dancing on the watery surface of his eyes.

"So you really lit his ass on fire?"

"Now every time you light up, you can think of his ass burning in hell."

"That's a pleasant thought." Alec's smile extinguished with the flame.

I sighed. "Alec, you're going to have to let this blame on yourself go. Don't let it destroy you."

Alec set the lighter on the bed behind him and fidgeted with his fingers, his head dropped. The blame was eating away at him. And buried under the blame, I knew there was deep-rooted pain. Pain that needed to be healed.

"Alec," I said, "I think you should tell Magnus what happened to you."

He did not need clarification as to what I was referring to. His head snapped up and his fingers began to tremble.

"I can't," he whispered, looking down again.

"Yes you can."

"I don't know what I'd say."

With a mischievous grin, I focussed all my thoughts on Magnus's appearance. I could feel my limbs slowly begin to elongate and my frame become thinner. My now-dark hair styled itself into spikes. Most importantly, I clearly pictured Magnus's eyes and willed my own to copy their color and shape.

"Just say whatever you feel," I answered in Magnus Bane's voice.

Alec's head shot up and he whirled his body to face me, eyes wide. He looked me over from head to toe, mouth hanging open. I gave him a wink to ease the tension and nervousness.

"Just pretend my arm isn't in a sling."

"Your eyes are switching colors," Alec said quietly.

"Damn."

My focus dissipated and I felt my body returning to its original form. Alec watched in fascination, hands clenched in the material of his sweats.

"It's a work in progress. I've got the shape shifting down, it's maintaining it that's the problem."

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't impressed."

"We'll practice together."

Alec looked ready to argue for a moment, but then he nodded his head with a crooked smile. Satisfied, I lightly punched Alec's shoulder and got to my feet.

"I should go. I want to see how close Magnus is to making me a life force milkshake."

"Jace." Alec reached out and grabbed my wrist. "I have a solution for you."

"Is it twice the goodness and half the fat?"

"You know the scar on your chest?"

I did. It was a large, nasty scar. One that branched out in many directions. I guessed I'd gotten it when I'd put my own hand through my chest. Like the scars on my face, I'd asked Magnus to keep it visible. It, too, served as a reminder, but not as a warning. As a reminder of my will to do good, to save a life.

"It's pretty awesome, huh?"

"Too awesome to be the one and only."

I watched as Alec gripped the bottom of his t-shirt and drew it up, exposing his chest. Tattooed on his skin in the darkest shade of black was an exact replica of my scar. It was in the same spot as mine: directly over his heart. It stood out amidst all the other runes covering Alec's skin.

"Alec," I breathed, at a loss for words.

The Shadowhunter let his shirt fall back into place as he stood up from the bed. He wobbled on his feet slightly as he placed himself in front of me.

"You can take part of my life whenever you need it, Jace."

"Alec," I said again.

Alec pointed to his chest. "This is our bond now. As long as you have my back, I'll have yours."

"You don't have to do this."

"This is what families do."

I nodded and smiled, holding out my hand. "Partners?"

Alec grasped my forearm instead and pulled me against him in an embrace, clapping me on the back. "Brothers."

I laughed as I pulled away, pushing aside the ache in my shoulder. We stood in the darkness, still clasping each other's forearms as an unquenchable fire burned in the matching scars marring our skin, strengthening our bond and banishing the darkness inside of us.


End file.
